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HEROINES OF

"MORMONDOM,"

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE

tpiE WOMEN'S LIVES SEfjIES.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

Published at the Juvenile Instructor Office.

1881.

PREFACE.

It affords us much pleasure to be able to present
a second book of the "Xoble Women's Lives
Series" to the public. It will, we feel confident,
prove no less interesting than its predecessor, and
the lessons conveyed by the articles herein con-
tained will doubtless be as instructive to its readers
as any ever given.

The remarkable events here recorded are worthy
of perusal and remembrance by all the youth
among this people, as they will tend to strengthen
faith in and love for the gospel for which noble
men and women have suffered so much. The names,
too, of such heroines as these, the * sketches of
whose lives we herewith give, should be held in
Jbunorahle. remembrance among this people, for no
age or nation can present us with more illustrious
examples of female faith, heroism and devotion.

We trust that this little work may find its way
in the homes of all the Saints and prove a blessing
to all who scan its pages. This is the earnest
desire of

The Publishers.

CONTENTS.

A NOBLE WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE.

Page.
Chapter I., 9

Chapter II., 16

Chapter III., 27

A REMARKABLE LIFE.

Page.

Chapter I., 37

Chapter II., 43

Chapter III., 47

Chapter IV., ... - - - CO

Chapter V., 70

Chapter VI., 82

A HEROINE OF HAUNS MILL MASSACRE.
Chapter!., Page £6

A NOBLE WOMAN'S EXPERI-
ENCE.

CHAPTER I.

Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, married Jerusha
Barden, November 2, 1826. They had six chil-
dren, viz: Lovina, Mary, John, Hyrum, Jerusha
and Sarah. Mary died when very young, and her
mother died soon after the birth of her daughter,
Sarah. Hyrum, the second son, died in Nauvoo,
in 1842, aged eight years. The Patriarch married
his second wife, Mary Fielding, in the year 1837,
she entering upon the important duty of step-
mother to five children, which task she performed,
under the most trying and afflictive circumstances,
voth unwavering fidelity. She had two children,
oseph and Martha. Thus, you see, Hyrum Smith,
the Patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, was really a polygamist many
years before the revelation on celestial marriage
was written, though, perhaps, about the time it was
given to the Prophet Joseph Smith; but not exactly
in the sense in which the worn is generally used,
for both his wives w r ere not living together on the

10 HEROINES OF

earth; still they were both alive, for the spirit nev-
er dies, and they were both his wives — the mothers
of his children. Marriage is ordained of God, and
when performed by the authority of His Priest-
hood, is an ordinance of the everlasting gospel
and is not, therefore, merely a legal contract, bui
pertains to time and all eternity to come, therefore
it is written in the Bible, "What God hath joined
together let no man put asunder."

There are a great many men who feel very bit-
ter against the Latter-day Saints, and especially
against the doctrine of plural marriage, who have
married one or more w r ives after the death of their
first, that, had their marriages been solemnized in
the manner God has prescribed and by His author-
ity, they themselves would be polygamists, for they,
as we, firmly believe in the immortality of the
soul, professing to be Christians and looking for-
ward to the time when they will meet, in the
spirit world, their wives and- the loved ones that
are dead. We can imagine the awkward situation
of a man, not believing in polygamy, meeting two
or more wives, with their children, in the spirit
w T orld, each of them claiming him as husband and
father. "But," says one, "how will it be with a
woman who marries another husband after the
death of her first?" She will be the wife of the
one to whom she was married for time and eter-
nity. But if God did not "join them together,"
and they were only married by mutual consent
until death parted them, their contract, or part-
nership ends with death, and there remains but

"MOKmondom: 1 n

one way for those who died without the knowledge
of the gospel to be united together for eternity.
That is, for their living relatives or friends to
attend to the ordinances of the gospel for them.
"For, in the resurrection, they neither marry nor
are given in marriage;" therefore marriage ordin-
ances must be attended to here in the flesh. Hyrum
Smith, however, was a polygamist before his death,
he having had several women sealed to him by
his brother, Joseph, some of whom are now liv-
ing.

At the death of the Patriarch, June 27th, 1844,
the care of the family fell upon his widow, Mary
Smith. Besides the children there were two old
ladies named respectively, Hannah Grinnels, who
had been in the family many years, and Margaret
Brysen. There was also a younger one, named
Jane Wilson, who was troubled with fits and other-
wise afflicted, and was, therefore, very dependent,
and an old man, named George Mills, who had
also been in the family eleven years, and was al-
most entirely blind and very crabbed. These and
others, some of whom had been taken care of by
the Patriarch out of charity, were members of the
family and remained with them until after they
arrived in the valley. "Old George," as he was
sometimes called, had been a soldier in the British
army, had never learned to read or write, and
often acted upon impulse more than from the
promptings of reason, which made it difficult,
sometimes, to get along with him; but because he
had been in the family so long— through the

12 HEROINES OF

troubles of Missouri and Illinois — and had lost
his eye-sight from the effects of brain fever and
inflammation, caused by taking cold while in the
pineries getting out timbers for the temple at Nau-
voo, Widow Smith bore patiently all his peculiar-
ities up to the time of her death. Besides those I
have mentioned, Mercy R. Thompson, sister to
Widow Smith, and her daughter, and Elder James
Lawson were also members of the family.

On or about the 8th of September, 1846, the fam-
ily, with others, were driven out of Nauvoo by the
threats of the mob, and encamped on the banks of
the Mississippi River, just below Montrose. There
they were compelled to remain two or three days,
in view of their comfortable homes just across the
river, unable to travel for the want of teams, while
the men were preparing to defend the city against
the attack of the mob. They were thus under the
necessity of witnessing the commencement of the
memorable "Battle of Nauvoo;" but, before the
cannonading ceased, they succeeded in moving out
a few miles, away frcm the dreadful sound of it,
where they remained until they obtained, by the
change of property at a great sacrifice, teams and
an outfit for the journey through Iowa to the Win-
ter Quarters of the Saints, now Florence, Nebraska.
Arriving at that point late in the Fall, they were
obliged to turn out their work animals to pick their
living through the Winter, during which some of
their cattle, and eleven out of their thirteen horses
died, leaving them very destitute of teams in the
Spring.

"MORMONDOM." 13

In the Fall of 1847, Widow Smith and her
brother, Joseph Fielding, made a trip into Mis-
souri, with two teams, to purchase provisions for
the family. Joseph, her son, accompanied them
as teamster; he was then nine years of age. The
team he drove consisted of two yokes of oxen, one
yoke being young and only partially broke, which,
with the fact that the roads were very bad with
the Fall rains, full of stumps in places, sometimes
hilly, and that he drove to St. Joseph, Missouri,
and back, a distance of about three hundred miles,
without meeting with one serious accident, proves
that he must have been a fair teamster for a boy
at his age.

At St. Joseph' they purchased corn and other
necessaries, getting their corn ground at Savannah,
on their return journey. Wh^at flour was a lux-
ury beyond their reach, and one seldom enjoyed
by many of the Latter-day Saints in those days.
On their journey homeward they camped one
evening at the edge of a small prairie, or open flat,
surrounded by woods, where a large herd of cattle,
on their way to market, was being pastured for the
night, and turned out their teams, as usual, to
graze. In the morning their best yoke of cattle
was missing, at which they were greatly surprised,
this being the first time their cattle had separated.
Brother Fielding and Joseph at once started in
search, over the prairie, through the tall, wet grass,
in the woods, far and near, until they were almost
exhausted with fatigue and hunger, and saturated
to the skin; but their search was vain. Joseph

14 HEROINES OF

returned first to the wagons, towards mid-day, and
found his mother engaged in prayer. Brother
Fielding arrived soon after, and they sat down to
breakfast, which had long been waiting.

"Now," said Widow Smith, "while you are eat-
ing I will go down towards the river and see if I
can find the cattle."

Brother Fielding remarked, "I think it is useless
for you to start out to hunt the cattle; I have in-
quired of all the herdsmen and at every house for
miles, and I believe they have been driven off."
Joseph was evidently of the same opinion, still he
had more faith in his mother finding them, if they
could be found, than he had either in his uncle or
himself. He knew that she had been praying to
the Lord for assistance, and he felt almost sure
that the Lord would hear her prayers. Doubtless
he would have felt quite sure had he not been so
disheartened by the apparently thorough but fruit-
less search of the morning. He felt, however to
follow her example: he prayed that his mother
might be guided to the cattle, and exercised all the
faith he could muster, striving hard to feel confi-
dent that she would be successful. As she was fol-
lowing the little stream, directly in the course she
had taken on leaving the wagons, one of the
drovers rode up on the opposite side and said,
"Madam, I saw your cattle this morning over in
those woods," pointing almost directly opposite to
the course she was taking. She paid no attention
to him, but passed right on. He repeated his in-
formation; still she did not heed him. He then

'MORMONDOM." 15

rode off hurriedly, and, in a few moments, with
his companions, began to gather up their cattle and
start them on the road towards St. Joseph. She
had not gone far when she came upon a small
ravine filled with tall willows and brush; but not
tall enough to be seen above the high grass of the
prairie. In a dense cluster of these willows she
found the oxen so entangled in the brush, and
fastened by means of withes, that it was with great
difficulty that she extricated them from their en-
tanglement. This was evidently the work of these
honest (?) drovers, who so hurriedly disappeared
— seeing they could not turn her from her course
— perhaps in search of estray honesty, which it is
to be hoped they found.

This circumstance made an indelible impression
upon the mind of the lad, Joseph. He had wit-
nessed many evidences of God's mercy, in answer
to prayer, before; but none that seemed to strike
him so forcibly as this. Young as he was, he real-
ized his mother's anxiety to emigrate with her
family to the valley in the Spring, and their de-
pendence upon their teams to perform that jour-
ney, which, to him, seemed a formidable, if not an
impossible, undertaking in their impoverished cir-
cumstances. It was this that made him so dis-
heartened and sorrowful when he feared that the
cattle would never be found. Besides, it seemed
to him that he could not bear to see such a loss
and disappointment come upon his mother, whose
life he had known, from his earliest recollection,
had been a life of toil and struggle for the main-

16 HEROINES OF

tenance and welfare of her family. His joy, there-
fore, as he looked through tears of gratitude to God
for His kind mercy extended to the "widow and
the fatherless" may be imagined, as he ran to meet
his mother driving the oxen towards the wagons.

CHAPTER II.

Joseph was herd-boy. One bright morning
sometime in the Fall of 1847, in company with his
herd-boy companions, whose names were Alden
Burdick, (almost a young man, and very sober and
stead}'), Thomas Burdick, cousin to Alden, about
Joseph's size, but somewhat older, and Isaac Block-
some, younger, he started out with his cattle as
usual for the herd grounds, some two miles from
Winter Quarters. They had two horses, both
belonging to the Burdicks, and a pet jack belonging
to Joseph. Their herd that day comprised not
only the cows and young stock, but the work oxen,
which for some cause were unemployed.

Alden proposed to take a trip on foot through
the hazel, and gather nuts for the party, and by
the "lower road" meet the boys at the spring on
the herd ground, while they drove the herd by the
"upper road" which was free from brush. This
arrangement just suited Joseph and Thomas, for
they were very fond of a little sport, and his
absence would afford them full scope ; while his
presence served as an extinguisher upon the exu-
berance of their mirth. Joseph rode Alden's bay

"MORMONDOM."

mare, a very fine animal ; Thomas, his father's
black pony, and Isaac the pet Jack. This Jack
had deformed or crooked fore-legs, and was very
knowing in his way ; so "Ike" and the Jack were
the subjects chosen by Joseph and Thomas for
their sport. They would tickle "Jackie," and
plague him, hew T ould kick up, stick his head down,
hump up his back and run, while Isaac struggled
in vain to guide or hold him by the bridle reins,
for like the rest of his tribe he was very headstrong
when abused. No harm or even offense to Isaac
was intended ; but they carried their fun too far ;
Isaac w r as offended, and returned home on foot,
turning loose the Jack with the bridle on. "We
will not try to excuse Joseph and Thomas in this
rudeness to Isaac, for although they were well-
meaning boys, it was no doubt very w T rong to carry
their frolics so far as to offend or hurt the feelings
of their playmate, and especially as he was
younger than they ; but in justice to them it is fair
to say they w r ere heartily sorry w r hen they found
they had given such sore offense.

When Joseph and Thomas arrived at the spring
they set down their dinner pails by it, mounted
their horses again, and began to amuse themselves
by running short races, jumping ditches and riding
about. They would not have done this had Alden
been there. They had not even done such a thing
before, although the same opportunity had not
been wanting ; but for some reason — ever fond of
frolic and mischief— they were more than usually
so this morning. It is said that not even a "spar-

18 IIEROIXES OF

row falls to the ground 5 ' without God's notice, is it
unreasonable to suppose that He saw these boys?
And as He overrules the actions of even the wicked,
and causes their "wrath to praise Him;" would it
be inconsistent to suppose that the Lord overruled
the frolics of these mischievous, but not wicked
boys on this occasion for good, perhaps for their
deliverance and salvation? We shall see.

While they were riding about and the cattle
were feeding down the little spring creek toward a
point of the hill that jutted out into the little
valley about half a mile distant, the "leaders"
being about half way to it, a gang of Indians on
horseback, painted, their hair daubed with white
clay, stripped to the skin, suddenly appeared from
behind the hill, whooping and charging at full
speed toward them. Now, had these boys turned
out their horses, as under other circumstances
they should, and no doubt would, have done, they
and the cattle would have been an easy prey to the
Indians, the boys themselves being completely at
their mercy, such mercy, as might be expected
from a thieving band of savages. In an instant,
Thomas put his pony under full run for home,
crying at the top of his voice, "Indians, Indians!"
At the same instant Joseph set out at full speed for
the head of the herd, with a view to save them if
possible.

He only could tell the multitude of his thoughts
in that single moment. Boy as he was, he made a
desperate resolve. His mother, his brother and
sisters and their dependence upon their cattle for

"MORMONDOMr 19

transportation to the Valley in the Spring, occupied
his thoughts and nerved him to meet the Indians
half-way, and risk his life to save the cattle from
being driven off by them. At the moment that he
reached the foremost of the herd, the Indians,
with terrific yells reached the same spot, which
frightened the cattle so, that with the almost
superhuman effort of the little boy to head them
in the right direction, and at the same time to elude
the grasp of the Indians, in an instant they were
all on the stampede towards home. Here the
Indians divided, the foremost passing by Joseph
in hot pursuit of Thomas, who by this time had
reached the brow of the hill on the upper road
leading to town, but he was on foot. He had left
his pony, knowing the Indians could outrun — and
perhaps would overtake him. And thinking they
w T ould be satisfied w T ith only the horse, and by
leaving that he could make good his escape.

Joseph's horse was fleeter on foot, besides, he
was determined to sell what he had to, at the
dearest possible rate. The rest of the Indians of
the first gang, about half a dozen, endeavored to
capture him; but in a miraculous manner he
eluded them contriving to keep the cattle headed
in the direction of the lower road towards home,
until he reached the head of the spring. Here the
Indians who pursued Thomas — excepting the one
in possession of Thomas' horse, which he had cap-
tured and was leading away towards the point —
met him, turning his horse around the spring and
4own the course of the stream, the whole gang of

20 HEROINES OF

Indians in full chase. He could outrun them, and
had he now, freed from the herd, been in the direc-
tion of home he could have made his escape; but
as he reached a point opposite the hill from whence
the Indians came, he was met by another gang
who had crossed the stream for that purpose; again
turning his horse. Making a circuit, he once
more got started towards home. His faithful
animal began to lose breath and flag. He could
still, however, keep out of the reach of his pursuers;
but now the hindmost in the down race began to
file in before him, as he had turned about, by
forming a platoon and veering to the right or left
in front, as he endeavored to pass, they obstructed
his course, so that those behind overtook him just
as he once more reached the spring. Riding up
on either side, one Indian fiercely took him by the
right arm, another by the left leg, while a third
was prepared to close in and secure his horse.
Having forced his reins from his grip, they raised
him from the saddle, slackened speed till his horse
ran from under him, then dashed him to the ground
among their horses' feet while running at great
speed. He was considerably stunned by the fall,
but fortunately escaped further injury, notwith-
standing, perhaps a dozen horses passed over him.
As he rose to his feet, several men were in sight
on the top of the hill, with pitchforks in their
hands at the sight of whom the Indians fled in the
direction they had come. These men had been
alarmed by Thomas' cry of Indians, while on their
way to the hay fields, and reached the place in

"MORMONDOM." 21

time to see Joseph's horse captured and another
incident which was rather amusing. The Jack,
which did not stampede with the cattle, had strayed
off alone toward the point of the hill, still wearing
his bridle. An old Indian with some corn in a
buckskin sack was trying to catch him; but
"Jackie" did not fancy Mr. Indian, although not
afraid of him, and so would wheel from him as he
would attempt to take hold of the bridle. As the
men appeared, the Indian made a desperate lunge
to catch the Jack, but was kicked over, and his
corn spilt on the ground. The Indian jumped up
and took to his heels, and "Jackie" deliberately
ate up his corn. By this time the cattle were
scattered off in the brush lining the lower road,
still heading towards town. The men with the
pitchforks soon disappeared from the hill, continu-
ing on to the hay-fields, and Joseph found himself
alone, affording him a good opportunity to reflect
on his escape and situation. The truth is, his own
thoughts made him more afraid than did the
Indians. What if they should return to complete
their task, which he had been instrumental in so
signally defeating? They would evidently show
him no mercy. They had tried to trample him to
death with their horses, and what could he do on
foot and alone? It would take him a long time to
gather up the cattle, from among the brush. The
Indians might return any moment, there was
nothing to prevent them doing so. These were
his thoughts; he concluded therefore that time was
precious, and that he would follow the example,

HEROINES OF

now, of Thomas, and "make tracks" for home.
When he arrived the people had gathered in the
old bowery, and were busy organizing two com-
panies, one of foot and the other of horsemen, to
pursue the Indians. All was excitement, his
mother and the family were almost distracted,
supposing he had been killed or captured by the
Indians. Thomas had told the whole story so far
as he knew it, the supposition was therefore inev-
itable; judge, therefore, of the happy surprise of his
mother and sisters on seeing him, not only alive,
but uninjured. Their tears of joy were even more
copious than those of grief a moment before.

But Joseph's sorrow had not yet began. He and
Thomas returned with the company of armed men
on foot to hunt for the cattle, while the horsemen
were to pursue the Indians, if possible, to recover
the horses. When they arrived again at the spring
no sign of the cattle could be seen; even the din-
. ner pails had been taken away. On looking
around, the saddle blanket from the horse Joseph
rode was found near the spring. Was this evidence
that the Indians had returned as Joseph had sus-
pected? And had they, after all, succeeded in
driving off the cattle? These were the questions
which arose. All that day did they hunt, but in
vain, to find an}' further trace of them ; and as
they finally gave up the search and bent their
weary steps towards home, all hope of success
seemingly fled. Joseph could no longer suppress
the heavy weight of grief that filled his heart, and
he gave vent to it in bitter tears, and wished he
had been a man.

"Mormondom:

It is said, "calms succeed storms," "and one ex-
treme follows another," etc. Certainly joy followed
closely on the heels of grief more than once this
day, for when Joseph and Thomas reached home,
to their surprise and unspeakable joy, they found
all their cattle safely corraled in their yards where
they had been all the afternoon. Alden, it seems,
reached the herd ground just after Joseph had left.
He found the cattle straying off in the wrong
direction unherded, and he could find no trace of the
boys or horses, although he discovered the dinner
pails at the spring as usual. When he had
thoroughly satisfied himself by observations that
all was not right, and perhaps something very
serious was the matter, he came to the conclusion
to take the dinner pails, gather up the cattle and
go home, which he did by the lower road, reaching
home some time after the company had left by
the upper road in search of them. * He of course
learned the particulars of the whole affair, and
must have felt thankful that he had escaped. A
messenger was sent to notify the company of the
safety of. the cattle, but for some reason he did not
overtake them.

In the Spring of 1847, George Mills was fitted
out with a team and went in the company of Pres-
ident Young as one of the Pioneers to the Valley;
and soon, a portion of the family in the care of
Brother James Lawson, emigrated from "Winter
Quarters," arriving in the Valley that Fall.

In the Spring of 1S48, a tremendous effort was
made by the Saints to emigrate to the Valley on

24 HEROINES OF

a grand scale. No one was more anxious than
Widow Smith; but to accomplish it seemed an
impossibility. She still had a large and compara-
tively helpless family. Her two sons, John and
Joseph, mere boys, being her only support; the
men folks, as they were called, Brothers J. Lawson
and G. Mills being in the Valley with the teams
they had taken. Without teams sufficient to draw
the number of wagons necessary to haul provisions
and outfit for the family, and without means to
purchase, or friends who were in circumstances to
assist, she determined to make the attempt, and
trust in the Lord for the issue. Accordingly every
nerve was strained, and every available object
was brought into requisition. "Jackie" was traded
off for provisions; cows and calves were yoked
up, two wagons lashed together, and team barely
sufficient to draw one was hitched on to them, and
in this manner they rolled out from Winter Quar-
ters some time in May. After a series of the most
amusing aud tr} r ing circumstances, such as stick-
ing in the mud, doubling teams up all the little
hills and crashing at ungovernable speed down
the opposite sides, breaking wagon tongues and
reaches, upsetting, and vainly endeavoring to
control wild steers, heifers and unbroken cows,
they finally succeeded in reaching the Elk Horn,
where the companies were being organized for the
plains.

Here, Widow Smith reported herself to President
Kimball, as having "started for the Valley." Mean-
time, she had left no stone unturned or problem

l WORMONDOM." 25

untried, which promised assistance in effecting
the necessary of preparations for the journey. She
had done to her utmost, and still the way looked
dark and impossible.

President Kimball consigned her to Captain
's fifty. The captain was present; said he,

"Widow Smith, how many wagons have you?"

"Seven."

"How many yokes of oxen have you?"

"Four," and so many cows and calves.

"Well," says the captain, "Widow Smith, it is
folly for you to start in this. manner; you never
can make the journey, and if you try it, you will be
a burden upon the company the whole way. My
advice to you is, go back to Winter Quarters and
wait till you can get help."

This speech aroused the indignation of Joseph,
who stood by and heard it; he thought it was poor
consolation to his mother who was struggling so
hard, even against hope as it were, for her deliver-
ance; and if he had- been a little older it is pos-
sible that he would have said some very harsh
things to the captain; but as it was, he busied
himself with his thoughts and bit his lips.

Widow Smith calmly replied, "Father "

(he was an aged man,) "I will beat you to the
Valley and will ask no help from you either!"

This seemed to nettle the old gentleman, for he
was high metal. It is possible that he never forgot
this prediction, and that it influenced his conduct
towards her more or less from that time forth as
long as he lived, and especially during the journey.

2c heroines; of

While the companies were lying at Elk Horn,
Widow Smith sent back to Winter Quarters, and
by the blessing of God, succeeded in buying on
credit, and hiring for the journey, several yokes
of oxen from brethren who were not able to emi-
grate that year, (among these brethren one Brother
Rogers was ever gratefully remembered by the
family). When the companies were ready to start,
Widow Smith and her family were somewhat bet-
ter prepared for the journey and rolled out with
lighter hearts and better prospects than favored
their egress from Winter Quarters. But Joseph
often wished that his mother had been consigned
to some other company, for although everything
seemed to move along pleasantly, his ears were
frequently saluted with expressions which seemed
to be prompted by feelings of disappointment and
regret at his mother's prosperity and success —
expressions which, it seemed to him, were made
expressly for his ear. To this, however, he paid as
little regard as it was possible for a boy of his
temperament to do. One cause for annoyance was
the fact that his mother would not permit him to
stand guard at nights the same as a man or his
older brother John, when the Captain required it.
She was willing for him to herd in the day time
and do his duty in everything that seemed to her
in reason could be required of him; but, as he
was only ten years of age, she did not consider him
old enough to do guard duty at nights to protect
the camp from Indians, stampedes, etc., therefore,
when the captain required him to stand guard,

'MORMONDOMr

Widow Smith objected. He was, therefore,
frequently sneered at as being "petted by his
mother," which was a sore trial to him.

CHAPTER III.

One day the company overtook President Kim*
ball's company, which was traveling ahead of them;
this was somewhere near the north fork of the Platte
River. Jane Wilson, who has been mentioned as
being a member of the family of Widow Smith, and
as being troubled with fits, etc., and withal very fond
of snuff, started ahead to overtake her mother, who
was in the family of Bishop N. K. Whitney, in
President Kimball's company, supposing both com-
panies would camp together, and she could easily
return to her own camp in the evening. But, early
in the afternoon, our captain ordered a halt, and
camped for that night and the next day. This
move, unfortunately, compelled poor Jane to con-
tinue on with her mother in the preceding com-
pany.

Towards evening the captain took a position in
the center of the corral formed by the wagons,
and called the company together, and then cried
out:

"Is all right in the camp? Is all right in the
camp?"

Not supposing for a moment that anything was
wrong, no one replied. He repeated the question

28 HEROINES OF

again and again, each time increasing his vehem-
ence, until some began to feel alarmed. Old
"Uncle Tommie" Harrington replied in good Eng-
lish style, "Nout's the matter wi me; nout's the
matter wi me;" and one after another replied,
"Nothing is the matter with me," until it came to
Widow Smith, at which, in a towering rage, the
captain exclaimed, "All's right in the camp, and a
poor woman lost!"

Widow Smith replied, "She is not lost; she is
with her mother, and as safe as I am."

At which the captain lost all control of his tem-
per, and fairly screamed out, "I rebuke you, Widow
Smith, in the name of the Lord!" pouring forth a
tirade of abuse upon her. Nothing would pacify
him till she proposed to send her son John ahead
to find Jane. It was almost dark, and he would
doubtless have to travel until nearly midnight
before he would overtake the company; but he
started, alone and unarmed, in an unknown region,
an Indian country, infested by hordes of hungry
wolves, ravenous for the dead cattle strewn here
and there along the road, w T hich drew them in such
numbers that their howlings awakened the echoes
of the night, making it hideous and disturbing the
slumbers of the camps.

That night was spent by Widow Smith in prayer
and anguish for the safety of her son; but the next
day John returned all safe, and reported that he
had found Jane all right w r ith her mother. Widow
Smith's fears for his safety, although perhaps un-
necessary, were not groundless, as his account of

64124

'MORMONDOMr 29

his night's trip proved. The wolves growled and
glared at him as he passed along, not caring even
to get out of the road for him; their eyes gleaming
like balls of fire through the darkness on every
hand; but they did not molest him; still, the task
was one that would have made a timid person
shudder and shrink from its performance.

Another circumstance occurred, while camped
at this place, which had a wonderful influence,

some time afterwards, upon Captain 's mind.

There was a party of the brethren started out on
a hunting expedition for the day. A boy, that
was driving team for Widow Smith, but little
larger than Joseph, although several years his
senior, accompanied them, riding with the captain
in his carriage, which they took along to carry their
game in. This boy (he is now a man, and no doubt
a good Latter-day Saint) was a very great favorite
of the captain's; and was often cited by him as a
worthy example for Joseph, as he stood guard, and
was very obliging and obedient to him. During the
day the captain left him in charge of his carriage
and team, while he went some distance away in

search of game, charging W not to leave the

spot until he returned. Soon after the captain

got out of sight, W drove off in pursuit of

some of the brethren in another direction, and
when he overtook them, strange to say, he told a
most foolish and flimsy story, which aroused their
suspicion. They charged him with falsehood, but
he unwisely stuck to his story. It was this: "Cap-
tain had sent him to tell them to drive the

HEROINES OF

game down to a certain point, so that he (the cap-
tain) might have a shot as well as they." Having
done this he started back to his post, expecting to
get there, of course, before the captain returned.
But unfortunately for his good reputation with
the captain, he was too late. The captain had
returned, but the carriage was gone, not knowing
the reason he doubtless became alarmed, as he im-
mediately started in search, instead of waiting to
see if it would return. He missed connection, and
was subjected to a tedious tramp and great anxiety,
until he fell in with those brethren, who related

the strange interview they had had with W

and the mystery was explained. Returning again,

there he found the carriage and W all right,

looking innocent and dutiful, little suspecting
that the captain knew all, and the storm that was
about to burst upon his devoted head. But like a

thunder-clap the storm came. At first W

affected bewilderment, putting on an air of injured
innocence, but soon gave way before the avalanche of
wrath hurled upon him. Poor fellow! he had
destroyed the captain's confidence in him, and
would he ever regain it? The reader can readily
imagine this would be a difficult matter. Sometime
after this, the captain went out from camp with his
carriage to gather saleratus, and on the way overtook
Joseph on foot. To Joseph's utter astonishment, the
captain stopped and invited him to ride. There was
another brother in the carriage with him. As they
went along the captain told this story, and con-
cluded by saying, "Now, Joseph, since W has

'mormondom:

betrayed my confidence so that I dare not trust
him any more, you shall take his place. I don't
believe you will deceive me." Joseph, in the best
manner he possibly could, declined the honor prof-
fered to him.

Passing over from the Platte to the Sweetwater,
the cattle suffered extremely from the heat, the
drought, and the scarcity of feed, being compelled
to browse on dry rabbit brush, sage brush, weeds
and such feed as they could find, all of which had
been well picked over by the preceding com-
panies. Captain 's company being one of

the last, still keeping along, frequently in sight of,
and sometimes camping with President Kimball's
company which was very large. One day as they
were moving along slowly through the hot sand
and dust, the sun pouring down with excessive
heat, toward noon one of Widow Smith's best oxen
laid down in the yoke, rolled over on his side,
and stiffened out his legs spasmodically, evidently
in the throes of death. The unanimous opinion
.was that he was poisoned. All the hindmost teams
of course stopped, the people coming forward to
know what was the matter. In a short time the
captain, who was in advance of the company, per-
ceiving that something was wrong, came to the
spot.

Perhaps no one supposed for a moment that the
ox would ever recover. The captain's first words
on seeing him, were:

"He is dead, there is no use working with him;
we'll have to fix up some way to take the Widow

32 7TER0TNES OF-

along, I told her she would be a burden upon the
company."

Meantime Widow Smith had been searching for
a bottle of consecrated oil in one of the wagons,
and now came forward with it, and asked her
brother, Joseph Fielding, and the other brethren,
to administer to the ox, thinking the Lord would
raise him up. They did so, pouring a portion of
the oil on the top of his head, between and back
of the horns, and all laid hands upon him, and
one prayed, administering the ordinance as they
would have done to a human being that was sick.
Can you guess the result? In a moment he gath-
ered his legs under him, and at the first word arose
to his feet, and traveled right off as well as ever.
He was not even unyoked from his mate. The
captain, it may well be supposed, now heartily
regretted his hasty conclusions and unhappy
expressions. They had not gone very far when
another and exactly similar circumstance occurred.
This time also it was one of her best oxen, the loss
of either would have effectually crippled one team,
as they had no cattle to spare. But the Lord mer-
cifull} r heard their prayers, and recognized the
holy ordinance of anointing and prayer, and the
authority of the Priesthood when applied in behalf
of even a poor dumb brute! Sincere gratitude
from more than one heart in that family, went up
unto the Lord that day for His visible interposi-
tion in their behalf. At or near a place called
Rattlesnake Bend, on the Sweetwater, one of
Widow Smith's oxen died of sheer old age, and

"MORMONDOMr 33

consequent poverty. He had been comparatively
useless for some time, merely carrying his end of
the yoke without being of any further service
in the team; he was therefore no great loss.

At the last crossing of the Sweetwater, Widow
Smith was met by James Lawson, with a span of
horses and a wagon, from the Valley. This en-
abled her to unload one wagon, and send it, with
the best team, back to Winter Quarters to assist
another family the next season. Elder Joel Terry
returned with the team. At this place the captain
was very unfortunate; several of his best cattle and
a valuable mule laid down and died, supposed to
have been caused by eating poisonous weeds. There
was no one in the camp who did not feel a lively
sympathy for the Captain, he took it to heart very
much. He was under the necessity of obtaining
help, and Widow Smith was the first to offer it to
him, but he refused to accept of it from her hands.
Joseph sympathized with him, and would gladly
have done anything in his power to aid him; but
here again, it is painful to say, he repulsed his
sympathy and chilled his heart and feelings more
and more by insinuating to others, in his presence,
that Widow Smith had poisoned his cattle ! Saying,
"Why should my cattle, and nobody's else, die in
this manner? There is more than a chance about
this. It was well planned," etc., expressly for his
ear. This last thrust was the severing blow.
Joseph resolved, some day, to demand satisfaction
not only for this, but for every other indignity he
had heaped upon his mother.

34 HEROINES OF

On the 22nd of September, 184S, Captain-

fifty crossed over the "Big Mountain," when they
had the first glimpse of Salt Lake Valley. It was
a beautiful day. Fleecy clouds hung round over
the summits of the highest mountains, casting
their shadows down the valley beneath, lightening,
by contrast, the golden hue of the sun's rays which
fell through the openings upon the dry bunch-
grass and sage-bush plains, gilding them with
fairy brightness, and making the arid desert to
seem like an enchanted spot. Every heart rejoiced
and with lingering fondness, wistfully gazed from
the summit of the mountain upon the western side
of the valley revealed to view — the goal of their
wearisome journey. The ascent from the east was
gradual, but long and fatiguing for the teams; it
was in the afternoon, therefore, when they reached
the top. The descent to the west was far more
precipitous and abrupt. They were obliged to
rough-lock the hind wheels of the wagons, and, as
they were not needed, the forward cattle were
turned loose to be driven to the foot of the moun-
tain or to camp, the "wheelers" only being retained
on the wagons. Desirous of shortening the next
day'n journey as much as possible — as that was to
bring them into the Valley — they drove on till a
late hour in the night, over very rough roads
much of the way, and skirted with oak brush and
groves of trees. They finally camped near the
eastern foot of the "Little Mountain." During
this night's drive several of Widow Smith's cows —
that had been turned loose from the teams — were

"MORMONDOM." 35

lost in the brush. Early next morning John
returned on horseback to hunt for them, their
service in the teams being necessary to proceed.

At an earlier hour than usual the Captain gave
orders for the company _to start — knowing well
the circumstances of the Widow, and that she
would be obliged to remain till John returned
with the lost cattle — accordingly the company
rolled out, leaving her and her family alone.

It was fortunate that Brother James Lawson was
with them, for he knew the road, and if necessary,
could pilot them down the canyon in the night.
Joseph thought of his mother's prediction at Elk
Horn, and so did the Captain, and he was deter-
mined that he would win this point, although he
had lost all the others, and prove her prediction
false. "I will beat you to the Valley, and ask no
help from you either," rang in Joseph's ears; he
could not reconcile these words with possibility,
though he knew his mother always told the truth,
but how could this come true? Hours, to him,
seemed like days as they waited, hour after hour,
for John to return. All this time the company
was slowly tugging away up the mountain, lifting
at the wheels, geeing and hawing, twisting along a
few steps, then blocking the wheels for the cattle
to rest and take breath, now doubling a team, and
now a crowd rushing to stop a wagon, too heavy for
the exhausted team, and prevent its rolling back-
ward down the hill, dragging the cattle along
with it. While in this condition, to highten the
distress and balk the teams, a cloud, as it were,

36 HEROINES OF

burst over their heads, sending down the rain in
torrents, as it seldom rains in this country, throwing
the company into utter confusion. The cattle
refused to pull, would not face the beating storm,
and to save the wagons from crashing down the
mountain, upsetting, etc., they were obliged to
unhitch them, and block all the wheels. While
the teamsters sought shelter, the storm drove the
cattle in every direction through the brush and
into the ravines, and into every nook they could
find, so that when it subsided it was a day's work
to find them, and get them together. Meantime
Widow Smith's cattle — except those lost — were
tied to the wagons, and were safe. In a few
moments after the storm, John brought up those
which had been lost, and they hitched up, making
as early a start as they usually did in the morn-
ings, rolled up the mountain, passing the company
in their confused situation, and feeling that every
tie had been sundered that bound them to the
captain, continued on to the Valley, and arrived at
"Old Fort," about ten o'clock on the night of the
23rd of September, all well and thankful. The
next morning was Sabbath, the whole family went
to the bowery to meeting. Presidents Young and
Kimball preached. This was the first time that
Joseph had ever heard them, to his recollection, in
public; and he exclaimed to himself: "These are the
men of God, who are gathering the Saints to the
Valley." This was a meeting long to be remem-
bered by those present. President Young spoke
as though he felt: "Now, God's people are free,"

\MORMONDOM" 37

and the way of their deliverance had been wrought

out. That evening Captain — and his company

arrived; dusty and weary, too late for the excellent
meetings and the day of sweet rest enjoyed by the
Widow and her family. Once more, in silver

tones, rang through Joseph's ears. "Father ,

I will beat you to the Valley, and will ask no help
from you either!" J. F. S.

A REMARKABLE LIFE.

PJJ>

CHAPTER I.

Many of the noblest lives have been lived ip .
obscurity and in poverty . Nobility and virtue
are never de^ end^t. npnn snrrr^nrljngg And
when you have read the simple little chronicle
which I am about to relate, I think you will agree
with me that even though humble and retiring,
the subject of this sketch was one of nature's own
heroines.

In a little cottage in Bra von, Lees-Mersem, Eng-
land, lived an old lady named Harris. She was
given to study although very meagrely educated.
She was feeble and sat a great deal of her time
poring over her Bible.

HEROINES OE

One day her granddaughter came to visit her,
bringing her little daughter, Mary, with her. The
old lady had been reading her Bible, and as her
daughter came in she said: ,. , *

"My dear. I have been reading some of the great
prophecies concerning the last days, and I feel sure'
that either you or yours will live to see many of
them fulfilled."

"Not so, grandmother," answered the woman,
whose name was Mrs. Dunster, "thou wast always,
visionary; put by such thoughts. Our religion's,
good enough for the like of us."

The old lady arose, unheeding her granddaugh- *
ter's warm reply, and placing her hands on the
little girl's head, said solemnly:

"Here's Mary; she shall grow up and wander-,
away from you all and break her bread in differ-*!
ent nations."

The solemnity of her great-grandmother's man-
ner and the peculiar spirit that accompanied the*
words made a vivid impression on the little girl's
mind. How well that strange prophecy has been
fulfilled you and I, my reader, can tell hereafter.

The little girl, whose name was Mary Dunster,
and who was born in Lympne, Kent, December 26,
ISIS, grew up and when sixteen years of *age was
asked in marriage by William Chittenden, who was
a laborer on an adjoining farm. She did not feel
very willing, but the young man urged her so
warmly that she hesitated before refusing him.
She had always had an irresistible desire to go to

"MORMONDOM." 39

America, where many emigrants were then going
from England.

At last she consented to be his wife on one con-
dition: that he would take her to America. Very
bravely promised the lover, but not until forty-two
years afterwards did he fulfill that promise.

After they were married they settled down to
work and lived, William as farm laborer, in Lym-
pne for four years. Two children were born to
them in this place, Mary Ann, born June, 15, 1836,
and Henry, born August 18, 1838.

Four years after their marriage, at which
time the introduction of convicts into Aus-
tralia was prohibited and the government of Eng-
land offered good inducement to skilled laborers to
settle up the country, William Chittenden conclud-
ed to go to Australia. Previous to this time the
English convicts, who were under life sentence,
had been sent down to Australia, landing generally
at Botany Bay. These convicts were brought
down and sold as life slaves to those freeholders
who were willing and able to purchase their labor.
Sometimes they escaped from their masters and
made their way into the interior of the country.
These escaped convicts herded together in small
parties or bands, and are called "bush-rangers."
They have now become a powerful tribe, fierce,
vindictive and unlawful. They resemble very
nearly, in occupation and temperament, the wild
Bedouins of Asia and the wild tribes of Arabs or
Berbers of northern Africa.

40 HEROINES OF

Between the years of 1840 and 1850, England
transported many skilled laborers and artizans to
Australia to build up and colonize her possessions
in the southern seas. Numbers of the husband's
countrymen were going down to the "new country,"
and he resolved to go too. Mary objected; she
wanted to go to America. I think, between you
and me, that she used sometimes to remind her
husband sharply of his unfulfilled promise. But
his was a calm, kind, but essentially self-willed
disposition, that listened good-naturedly to all Mary
might and did say, but was no whit moved there-
by to give up his own way. And so, after much
controversy, the removal to Australia was decided
upon and accomplished.

The young couple had determined to engage a
farm on shares, and so went, immediately upon
their arrival, to a country part near Botany Bay.
Here they remained a short time and then went
up to Camden, which is about one hundred miles
from Sydney. William took a farm and then com-
menced a long career of farming in Australia.
Most of their children were born there.

And now let me tell you something of the char-
acter of this same Mary, ere I relate to you two
strange dreams which she had while living at
Camden.

She was a medium-sized, well-built woman, with
kind, gray eyes and a pleasant but firm mouth.
Her step was quick, and her manner was full of
warm-hearted simplicity. She it was who ruled
the children, administering with firm justice the

'MORMONDOM." 41

rod of correction. Her husband contented him-
self by controlling his wife, leaving the whole of
the remainder of the domestic regimen entirely in
her hands. She was never disobeyed by her chil-
dren. But withal "father" was a tenderer name
to their large flock of girls than was "mother."
But with all her firmness, she was far too woman-
ly to possess one grain of obstinacy. When it was
her duty to yield she could do so gracefully. With
these qualities Mary united a sound business ca-
pacity, economy, thrift and extreme cleanliness.
She was, and always has been, a remarkably
healthy woman. With these gifts she had some-
thing of the visionary or semi-prophetic character
of her great-grandmother Harris.

She has been a dreamer, and her dreams have
been of a prophetic character. Most of them re-
quire no interpretation, but are simple forecasts, as
it were, of the future.

One dream, which was indelibly impressed upon
her mind, occurred to her just before the birth of
her eighth daughter, Elizabeth. It was as fol-
lows:

She dreamed she had to travel a long way. At
last she reached a stately white building, with pro-
jecting buttresses and towers. Going up the broad
steps she entered a room filled with beautiful books.
Seeing a door ajar, she walked into the adjoining
room. There sat twelve men around a large table,
and each man held a pen. They were looking up
as though awaiting some message from above. She
drew back, so as not to attract attention, when a

42 ITER LYES OF

voice said distinctly to her: "You will have to
come here to be married." The thought passed
through her mind, "I am married and why, there-
fore, should I come here to be married?

She went on out of the building and walked
through the streets of the city that were near the
building. The streets were straight and clean,
with little streams of water running down under
the shade-trees that bordered the foot-paths. Every-
thing was clean and beautiful to look upon. Foot-
bridges spanned the little streams, and the houses
were clean and comfortable. She saw just ahead
of her a woman driving a cow, with whom she felt
a desire to speak, but before she could reach her,
the woman had gone in at one of the gates. She
walked on, pleased with all she saw. Raising her
eyes she saw in the distance, coming to the city,
what looked like an immense flock of sheep. But
as they came nearer she saw they were people, all
clothed in white raiment. They passed by and
went on to the white building. "Ah!" thought
Mary, "if I was there now, that I might know
what it all meant!" But she felt compelled
to go the other way. And so the dream
ended.

When she awoke she related the strange episode
to her husband and told him she believed her com-
ing confinement would prove fatal. She thought
the beautiful place she had seen could only be in
heaven, as she had never seen anything like it up-
on the earth. William comforted her, but the
spirit of the dream never left her.

"MORMONDOMr 43

However her little babe was born and she re-
sumed her household duties.

CHAPTER II.

Two years passed away, and ere they are passed
let us stop a moment and see a little of this new
country which lies away on the opposite side of
the earth from America.

Australia, as you may all see, my readers, by
getting out your geographies, is in the Pacific
Ocean, down 'in the tropics and lying south-east of
Asia. It is generally called a continent; but it
looks very small, does it not, compared to Asia or
either of the Americas? Now, look down on the
south-east coast of 'this little continent and you
wall see Botany Bay and the city of Sydney lying
close together. Look a little to the south-west of
Sydney and you will find Goulburn. Camden,
which is a comparatively new town, is not marked
• on the old maps, lies between Sydney and Goul-
burn.

This region you will find marked as the "gold
region." But gold was not discovered until 1857,
eleven years after the Chiltendens settled in their
new home.

The country in New South Wales is good for
farming and grazing ; with the exception that it is
subject to extremes of drouth and floods. There

44 HEROINES OF

are no high mountain ranges, and very few rivers.
There is no snow there, and the Winter season is a
rainy season instead of being cold and freezing
like our Winters. There are trees in that country
which shed their bark instead of their leaves. I
shall speak of these trees and the uses to which
their bark is put further on. Then, there grows a
native cherry, which has the pit on the outside,
and the fruit inside. Wouldn't that be queer?

There are many precious stones found in this
country, and also considerable gold; but the dis-
covery of gold failed to excite William Chittenden,
or turn him from the even tenor of his way.

On the loth of April, 1853, a son was born to
the Chittendens, who was christened William John,
but who only lived a few weeks.

Some time after his death Mary dreamed that
she was lying in her bed asleep. It was, as you
might say, a dream within a dream. As she lay
sleeping two men, each carrying a satchel in one
hand and a cane in the other, came to the foot of
her bed. She dreamed then that she awoke from
her dream and looked earnestly at these two men;
so earnestly that their faces were indelibly fixed up-
on her memory. One of them held out to her a
little book.

"What is the use of my taking the book?" she
thought within herself, "I cannot read a line, for I
have never learned to read." Then, after a mo-
ment's hesitation, she thought, "Why, I can take
it and my children can read it to me." So she
took the book.

"MORMONDOM." 45

One of the men said these remarkable words to
her:

"W«e are clothed upon with power to preach to
the people."

She awoke in reality then, with those strange
words thrilling her with a new power she had nev-
er felt before. She roused her husband up and
related her dream, and he replied kindly to her.

"They had now been married eighteen years and
Mary had borne seven girls and two boys; neither
of the two boys, however, had lived but a short
tim,e. The farm upon which they lived had been
rented, or leased, from a large land-owner named
McArthur, for twenty-one years. This McArthur
owned some thousands of acres of farming and
grazing land in this region, which was leased in
farms of various proportions.

The Chittendens' farm consisted of two hun-
dred acres, and was mostly farming land. The
terms upon which they leased it were very similar
to others in that country. For the first five years
they paid sixpence an acre. After that it was ten
shillings an acre.

William put up the house in which they lived,
and an odd house it was, too. First he took a
number of poles, or uprights, which he placed in
the earth at regular distances. With these he
made the framework of his house. Between these
uprights were placed smaller poles. Then he took
fine willows and wove them, or turned them round
the center, or smaller pole, resting the ends on the
larger poles. In and out went these willows, some-

46 HEROINES OF

thing the same way as you will see willow fences
here. Then he made a thick mud and well cov-
ered the whole, inside and out. Next came a good
plaster of lime and sand, and finally all was white-
washed. The roof was made with rafters laid
across the top. Now came in this bark about
which I told you. Going up to the forests which
were found on the near hillsides, the bark was cut
in the lengths wanted at the top and bottom of the
tree; then with a sharp knife split on two sides,
upon which it peeled off in thick, straight slabs.
It was then nailed on in the place of shingles, each
one overlaping the under one. Then the floor was
nailed down with wooden pegs, "adzed" off and
finally smoothed with a jack-plane.

In this manner one large sitting-room, two bed-
rooms, a dairy and a kitchen, detached from the
main building, were built; to which was afterwards
added a long porch to the front of the house,
which faced east, the rooms all being built in a
row.

Mary cooked upon a brick oven, which was built
upon a little standard just between the kitchen
and the house.

Large fire-places were built in the kitchen and
sitting-room. The one in the kitchen, being big
enough to take three immense logs, which would
burn steadily for a whole week.

The dairy was well furnished with fans, pails,
etc.

"MORMONDOM."

CHAPTER III.

In 1853, William decided to take a trip up to
Sydney to sell a load of grain, bringing back with
him, if he succeeded as he wished, a load of freight
for some settlement or town near his home. There
was a great demand for wheat now as many hun-
dreds of emigrants had rushed into the great gold
country. William left the farm to be managed by
his prudent little wife and started out on his hun-
dred mile trip. How little did he dream of the
result of this journey! On his arrival in Sydney
after the disposal of his wheat, he walked out to see
an old friend named William Andrews who lived
in the suburbs of the town. Here he passed the
time until evening when Mr. Andrews remarked,
"I say, Chittenden, I've got some brothers come
from America, and I am going up to see them.
Would you like to go along?"

"Oh, yes," replied William, "I did'nt know you
had any brothers in America!"

And so, arm in arm, they entered the little room
where several men sat at a table, or pulpit with a
strange book in their hands and strange words
upon their lips. Here William heard the sound of
the everlasting gospel for the first time.

48 HEROINES OF

From the first William felt the truth contained
in the words, of the Elders although he knew
little or nothing concerning them.

On their way home Mr. Andrews explained to
him that these men were his brothers, being broth-
ers in the covenant of Christ.

"And Chittenden," he added, "if any of them go
down your way, you'll give them dinner and a
bed, won't you, for I know you can?"

"Oh, as to that," replied William, "I would'nt
turn a beggar from my door, if he was hungry
or wanted a roof to cover him."

William procured a load of freight for a man in
Goulburn (one hundred miles further south than
Camden) and started on his return trip. His
mind was often upon the things he had heard, and
he wondered "what it all meant. The Elders to
whom he had listened were Brothers Farnham,
Eldredge, Graham and Fleming, Brother Farn-
ham having charge. They were the second com-
pany of Elders ever sent to Australia.

After the departure of William Chittenden, a
council was held by the Elders and it was decided
that Brothers Fleming and John Eldredge should
go up to Camden and the surrounding district. At
the last moment however, Elder Fleming was de-
sired to remain in Sydney by Brother Farnham
and Elder Graham was sent in his place. I men-
tion this circumstance as it was closely connected
with one of Mary's dreams. When William
reached his home, he told Mary about these strange
men.

'MORMONDOW 49

"What did you think of them William?"
"Well Mary if they don't speak the truth then I
never heard it spoken." And then he went down
to Goulburn with his freight.

One lovely day in summer two dusty, tired, hun-
gry men each with a satchel and a walking-cane in
their hands, stopped at the wide open door of the
Chittenden farm-house. And what saw Mary,
when she came to the porch? With a queer throb,
she saw in her door the very man who came to her
bedside in her dream. She even noticed the low-
cut vest showing the white shirt underneath. But
as he stepped inside, and her eye fell upon his
companion, she saw he was not the second one of
her dream, although he too carried a cane and
satchel. She invited them within, and the first
one said,

"We are come, madam, to preach the gospel."
The words, almost identical with those of her
dream. Giving her their names, he whose name
was Eldredge explained to her that they traveled up
from Sydney, and in all the hundred miles, they
had found no one willing to give them food and
shelter.

Mary bustled around and prepared dinner for
her guests. When evening drew near, Brother
Eldredge remarked,

"Mrs Chittenden, can you let us remain here
over night?"

"Oh," said Mary, "I am afraid I have no place
to put you!''

to HER0TXE8 OF

"Well you can let us sit up by your fireside, and
that is better than lying on the ground as we have
done lately!"

And then Mary assured them that she would do
the best she could for them. So a bed was spread
out on the floor of the sitting-room, and here the
foot-sore Elders were glad to rest their bodies.

The principles and doctrines of these men fell
deep into Mary's heart, and like her husband she
felt they spoke the truths of heaven.

One evening in conversation with them, Mary
told Brother Eldredge that she had seen him be-
fore in a dream. But, she added, you were accom-
panied by another man, not Mr. Graham.

"Ah well, that might have been. You may
have seen Brother Fleming for he was coming
with me, but Brother Farnham altered the appoint-
ments at the last moment!"

And it proved so. When Mary afterwards saw
Brother Fleming she recognized him as the sec-
ond one of her dream.

The Elders were not idle because they had found
a comfortable resting place, but traveled about seek-
ing to get opportunities of spreading the gospel
One family named Davis, whose farm (rented from
McArthur) joined the Chittenden's, listened with
pleased interest to these new doctrines. In the
course of two weeks after the arrival of the Elders,
William Chittenden came home, and expressed
a gladness in his heart to find the Elders at his
home. He immediately fixed up a bedroom
near the sitting-room for the use of the Elders.

"MORMONDOM."

Weeks went into months, and still the (Jhittendens
were not baptized.

The Elders made Camden their head-quarters,
but went about through the surrounding country,
meeting, however, with very little success. Wil-
liam and his wife, with their oldest daughter were
ready to be baptized, as were the Davis'. But al-
most a year after the arrival of the brethren was
allowed to slip by without the baptisms having
been performed.

I want to stop and tell you a little about the
worldly condition of this couple, as well as men-
tion a detail or two more about the country they
were living in before I go on with my story.

They had brought their tw T o hundred acres un-
der good cultivation ; they had a large fruit gar-
den back of the house, in which grew the most de-
licious peaches, plums and cherries. The country
is so adapted to fruit that peach-stones thrown out
near running water w T ould be fruit-bearing-trees in
three years. There w T ere no apples, but such quan-
tities of tropical fruits. Grapes, melons, figs, lem-
ons and oranges were so plentiful and so cheap
that William would not spend time to grow them.
A sixpence (12 cents) would buy enough of these
fruits to load a man down.

They had four horses, one wagon, a dray and a
light spring cart six cows and many calves, plenty
of pigs and droves of chickens, turkeys and geese.

The large granary to the south of the house
groaned with its wealth of wheat corn, barley
and oats.

52 BEROWES OF

And while I am speaking of wheat I am mind-
ed to give a description of the way adopted to pre-
serve wheat in that country. Mr. McArthur, the
owner of all these thousands of acres, received
from his tenants a share of the wheat grown.
This he stored up as there was little or no sale for
it until drought years, when it commanded a good
price.

After the three years drought which occurred
there prior to 1853, William and his wife went to
this Mr. McArthur to get wheat, He had dug a
very large vault or cellar, and this had been well
cemented, top, bottom and sides. Here the wheat had
been stored for twelve years when the Chittendens
went to get theirs. The wheat was perfectly sound
and sweet. Over the vault a store-house had been
built, and the door to it was near the top of the
cellar.

You can see that our kind friends were well-to-
do, and had every prospect ahead for success and
prosperity.

In the Spring of '54, the Davis family and the
Chittendens decided to be baptized. liumors, and
false reports had been rapidly spread about the
Latter-day Saints, and their enemies sprang up
like magic. Many sarcastic and insulting remarks
were made about the "dipping" (as the baptism
was called) of the two families. Mr. McArthur
was a bitter enemy to the new sect.

One day the Davises were over to Chittenden's
and remarked they were going to be baptized the
following Monday in the river near their house.

'MORMOXDOW 53

William decided to come over with his family on
the same day. So on the 24 of April 1854 Wil-
liam and Mary were baptized by John Eldredgein
Camden, Australia. From the moment of their
baptism until now no faltering or doubt has ever
been in the hearts of these true Saints. In the
evening of the same day, the girls were all baptized
by the Elders into the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.

The gospel once having been received the spirit
of "gathering" soon follows. And with Mary, who
had always wished to go to America, how much
more intense that spirit was now!

As she sat and listened to the Elder's description
of Zion being built up in the bleak mountains, of
the pretty streets lined with shade-trees, and
watered by swift-running streamlets she turned to
her husband told him that this must be the place
of her dream.

William was a very quiet, determined man, who
could not be turned from the way he had chosen.

The days, when through the long summer eve-
rings, they all sat and listened to the various
principles and the new and lovely doctrines
unfolded one by one, by the Elders, like the petals
of a glorious flower, were the very happiest Mary
and her family ever knew. Poor Mary! They
were the light which shone over her dreary on-
coming future, sometimes brightly, sometimes
faintly, but always shining over the wretched,
darksome road of the next twenty years.

54 TIER OWES OE

One little circumstance, which will illustrate
Mary's simple but powerful faith will perhaps be
worth mentioning and may strengthen some other
one's faith. Just before the birth of her eighth
girl, which occurred in the Fall after their baptism,
she felt low and miserable, scarcely sick enough
to be in bed, but too ill to work. One evening
Bro. Eldredge was talking to her and said that if
she had any sickness or bodily ill, it was her
privilege as it was of any member of the Church,
to call upon the Elders to administer to her, and
then if she exercised faith, it would leave her.
Mary had never read a word in her life, and so
this came to her as a new and very precious truth.

"Well, Bro. Eldredge, if I can be ministered to
and get well, I want to now," said Mary.

So the ordinance was performed, and she was
indeed instantly healed. From that day for many
months she never felt one moment of illness. And
she says to me to-day in her simple quaint way,

"I have never been ministered to in my life since,
that I did not get better."

Ever since the arrival of the Elders, the Chit-
tendens had opened their house for them to hold
meetings in on Sundays. No other place had ever
been obtained, so that the meetings of the Saints,
or those who were friendly to them, w T ere still
held in Mary's cosy sitting-room.

On the 1st of Nov. 1854, Mary had another
daughter whom they named Alice. In two weeks
she was up and able to be about the house. The
Sunday on which the baby was two weeks old,

"MORMONDOMy

the family had taken dinner, the things had been
washed and set away, and all sat in the dining or
sitting-room talking of gathering to Zion.

They had eight girls now, and it would take
quite a sum of money to emigrate them all to
Utah. So thinking to increase their means a
trifle, Mary had taken a little motherless boy,
about seven 'years old, his father paying a certain
amount a week for his board. This was money and
they would never miss his board as they raised
everything which they consumed. This little boy
was very troublesome and mischievous. He was
very fond of playing out in the hired men's
bedroom which was over the granary.

On the Sunday of which I am speaking, he was
out in the men's room, and there found some
matches. He thought he'd have some rare fun
then, so out he ran, matches in hand, and made
what he called a "pretty fire," right down close to the
pig pens. He watched it burn up, quietly at first,
and then —whew!— here is a jolly little breeze
catches up the flame, and carries it bravely up
right on to the roof of the pig : pen. Then how it
did sputter, and crackle, and leap. The boy was
old enough to see by that time, that something
more than a bit of mischief would grow out of
that tiny flame. It spread over the pens like a
living thing. Frightened now, he sped away,
down to the nearest farm-house, running in and
shouting to the gentleman, Mr. Root who lived
there, "I didn't set the pig-styes on fire; I struck a
match, and it blowed."

m HEROINES OE

Mr. Root hitched up his horse to his water-budge,
a cask on wheels which he carried water from a
lake near the Chittendens' house, and started on the
run for the scene of the boy's wickedness. The
Chittendens saw him pass their door running to
the lagoon or lake. "I'll declare," said Mary, "is Mr.
Root going for water on Sunday? I never knew
him to do such a thing before!"

Just then Eliza ran in and said, "Father, the
shed is full of smoke."

She had been down to gather eggs from the shed.

The barn, pig-styes, cow sheds, granary, poultry
houses and stacks were all at the back of the house
and about six rods away.

At last, William got up to go down to the shed
to see what was the matter.

When he looked out of the back door, what a
sight met his eyes — the whole yard in flames!
Others had seen the fire, for the farm-house faced
the public-road, and people were all passing there
on their road to Chapel. But no one except Mr.
Hoot ever offered a hand of help.

"Oh," said they, " it's those d— d Mormons, let
them burn up and go to h ."

The whole family rushed down to the fire and
tried to stop its progress but all to no avail. The
pigs could not be driven out, and were literally roast-
ed alive. The barn, sheds, pens and every combus-
tible thing went down before the relentless flames.
Farm implements of every description, even the
grain to the amount of hundreds of bushels, were
burned. The flames swept towards the house.

l MORMOXDOMr

Then how they worked. Everything movable was
got out, and the roof was torn off; and the men
commenced pouring water on the walls to save
them.

"Alas for the rarity of Christian charity." If a
few brave men had given help when the fire was
first discovered, much might have been saved.
But when it was all over, and Bro. Eldredge and
William had thrown themselves on the ground
completely exhausted, and the only Christian who
had helped them, Mr. Root, had gone home in the
same condition, Mary sat out doors with a few of h er
h ousehold goods broken and scattered around h er^
her two weeks' old babe wailing in her ar ms,
and all that was left of their comfortable horr^
the empty, blackened, smoking wa lls of tW^ny^
looming up in the tw iligM- ?**+ falling aro und hert
Hundreds of cart loads of burnt grain were carted
away for the next few days and buried. How
many bright hopes and happy plans were buried
at the same time, only the future would tell! The
roof was speedily put on again, and things inside
made as comfortable as might be.

Bro. Eldredge still advised going out to Utah
with what means they could scrape up, but William
would only shake his head despondently and say,
"I dont see how I can do it."

Mary urged all she dared, for she knew the Elders
were about to leave for home. It was no use.
The only answer she got was, "not now, Mary, not
now."

58 HEROINES OF

He found an opportunity about that time of
going up into the country a hundred miles with
some freight. While he was away a gentleman came
to the farm-house and wished to buy the goodwill
of the farm.

You will remember William had rented it for
twenty-one years. About fourteen years of the
lease had expired. The improvements, etc., al-
ways went with the lease. So when this gentle-
man offered to pay three hundred pounds (81,400)
for the remainder of the lease, or the "good-will,"
as it is termed in that country, Mary thought it a
very fortunate thing.

The loss by fire had exceeded three hundred and
fifty pounds, or about sixteen or seventeen hundred
dollars of our money; and Mary thought if she
could sell the. lease of the farm, then they could
sell what stock and personal property was left
them, that making perhaps another two hundred
pounds, which might get them all to America. So
she sold it; knowing, however, that the bargain
would not be legal unless ratified by her husband.
She hoped, though, that he w T ould see things as
she did. When William reached home Mary told
him what she had done.

"Humph; I suppose you know it's of no use un-
less I give my word, too?"

"Oh, yes," said Mary, sorry to know her hus-
band was so annoyed, "you can, of course, upset it
all."

Then she explained all her hopes and plans to
him. How they could raise five hundred and fifty

"MORMONDOM." 59

pounds, and then they could surely get to Amer-
ica with that tidy sum. "And you know, too, you
promised years ago to take me to America."

"And reach there," objected William, "with a
big family of little children, and not a shilling to
buy 'em bread with. Nice plan, that ! "

In vain she argued and plead. William was not
to be moved. Xo one could blame him for not be-
ing guided by his wife's advice. Albeit she was a
prudent, far-seeing, wise little woman, whose ad-
vice had always been proved to be of the best ;
still the man leads the woman, not woman the
man.

But when Brothers Eldredge and Graham coun-
seled him to return with them, it was quite a dif-
ferent matter. They were over him in the Priest-
hood and had a right to his obedience, even as he
exacted obedience from his wife and family. How-
ever he still refused, simply saying, "I don't see
how I can go just now, Brother Eldredge!"

And so the time passed on, and the Elders left
Australia without the Chittendens. The Davis
family, who were baptized at the same time as was
William and his wife, accompanied the Elders, and
part of the same family are now residing in Miners-
ville, Utah.

Here then was the grand mistake of William's
life. He did not see it then, nor for years after,
but the time came when he wished in the agony of
his soul that he had gone to Utah when told to do
so, even if he had reached there without one
penny to buy a crust of bread on his arrival !

60 HEROINES OF

Their girls were all with them and unmarried and
they could have brought their family unbroken to
Utah. Bat instead of that twenty-three years
after they came with the merest remnant of their
once large family, leaving almost all their loved
ones behind them, and married to enemies of this
work.

Is not this a grand lesson for our young Elders?
How easy it is to fancy that our own wisdom,
especially about our private affairs, is better than
any one's else! But when the voice of God speaks
through His servants and says, "Do thou so!" woe to
the man who turns from that and works out his own
will in direct opposition. Let this sink deep into
your hearts, my young readers, and remember
always, God knoweth best!

CHAPTER IV.

Although William was annoyed at the step his
wife had taken, he concluded to let matters go as
they were. However, much to Mary's chagrin, he
took a farm close by, and tried to make another
start. Nothing seemed to go right.

On the 24th of July, 1850, Mary gave birth to
another daughter, to whom they gave the name of
Rachel. The next year another company of
Elders came down from Utah under the leadership

'MORMONDOM." 61

of Brother Stewart. These also made their stop-
ping place, while in that part of the country, at
the home of the Chittendens. But if the Elders met
with little success during their former mission, this
time seemed a complete failure. Xo one could be
found to give them a moment's hearing. One
Brother Doudle came up near Camden, and used
every endeavor to gain a foot-hold. Instead of
kindness he met with cruelty ; and in place of bread
they threw him a stone. For two days he traveled
and could find neither a place to sit down, a crust
to eat nor a thing to drink.

When he got back to the Chittendens, he walked
wearily in, and Mary's daughter, Jane, bustled
around to get him something to eat. "No," said
he, "don't cook me a thing. I want nothing but a
piece of bread and a drink of water."

She hastily set what he required before him, and
after he had eaten he said, "Sister Jane, you shall
receive the blessing for this. I have not broken
my fast since I left your house until now. I have
had to sleep out under the forest trees. I am
now fully satisfied there is no place to be had to
hold meeting. I thought as I was leaving the
city, shall I shake the dust off my feet as a testi-
mony against this people? No, no ; I will leave it
all in the hands of God!"

The bitter prejudice of people around Camden
grew worse and worse. At last the word went out
that all the missionaries were to return to Utah
immediately. This was in 1857, when Johnson's
army was advancing upon Utah.

HEROINES OF

Before leaving Camden, the Elders prophesied
openly that trouble should fall heavily upon the
people who had refused them even a hearing. From
that time until the "Mormon" missionaries re-
turned and opened the door of mercy, there was
not one stalk of grain raised in the whole district
of Camden, and people had been unable to obtain
a living.

With what earnest prayers did Mary seek to per-
suade her husband to go along too! And the Elders
counseled him to return with them. But no, he could
not feel to go with his helpless family and have little
or nothing to support them when he arrived in
America. So the last Elder bade them good-by
and turned away from their door. Alas! eighteen
years passed away before they ever heard another
Elder's voice.

William was like his wife, unable to read one
word, and all that he knew of this gospel had been
taught him orally by the missionaries. He was also
very young in the faith, and had not learned the
great lesson of obedience nor dreamed its mighty
weight in this Church. For this reason God was
merciful to him, and did not deprive him of 'the
light of the gospel, but taught him the painful but
necessary lesson through much and long tribula-
tion. And his children, although scattered and
living most of them in Australia, retain the love
of the truth in their hearts.

After the Elders had been recalled, Mary com-
menced to feel a great brooding darkness settle
down over her. In the day she could throw it off,

"MORMONDOM." 63

but when night closed her labors and laid her at
rest, the darkness would fold around her like a
garment. She was anything but a nervous, imagi-
native woman, and this terrible darkness grew into
something tangible to her husband as well as to
herself. At last he listened to her and decided to
once more sell out and get away.

Two more girls were born to Mary before leav-
ing Camden vicinity. One, Caroline, was born
May 10, 1S5S, the other, Louisa, was born June 25,
18G0. Mary had then eleven girls, her two sons
having died in infanc}\ The older girls were very
much disappointed that neither of the last two
were boys. Especially was this the case when
Louisa was born; their chagrin being expressed so
loudly that it reached their mother's ears. She was a
trifle disappointed herself, but when she heard their
comments she was really sad and cast down. The feel-
ing could not be shaken off until the next day; when
as she lay dozing, a voice plainly said to her: "You
shall have a son, and he shall grow up and be a
great comfort to you in your old age." As usual
•she related the circumstance to her husband and
he fully believed in it. He thought he would try
"sluicing" for gold in some of the mining camps.
The process called "sluicing gold," or washing it, is
as follows: A box about a foot wide and two feet
long, is fitted with several little boards or slats,
about an inch high, across the bottom. This is to
make the water ripple over. Into this box the sand is
shoveled, and the water washes away the dirt leav-

64 HEROINES OF

ing tiny nuggets of gold in the bottom of the box.
This is of course in the regions where gold is
found plentifully. Rocks are broken up and shov-
eled in, and often are richer than the sand. But
this "sluicing" process is a slow one, so much of
the finer portions of gold being washed away. If
quicksilver was used to gather the tiny shining
metal, it would prove much more profitable, but
quicksilver itself is expensive.

So William sold out, and they started up to a
place called Lemon Flat in the early Spring of '61.
All of a sudden severe rains set in ; the country was
flooded, and the 50ft soil became actually impass-
able. Insomuch so that the family were obliged
to relinquish the idea of going to Lemon Flat and
turned aside to go to another mining camp called
Gunderoo.

While going to Gunderoo the day they reached
the outskirts of the town, was a very tiresome one
for all. Mary had a light, one-seated carriage, a
great deal like the one horse delivery carts in Salt
Lake City. She often got out and walked for exer-
cise. In the latter part of the afternoon, the
wagon, followed by the girls and their father, walk-
ing, pushed ahead to reach the summit of the hills
overlooking Gunderoo, or the "gap" as it was
called, there to pitch their tents and prepare
supper.

Mary, walking near the cart, began to feel a
curious weakness creep over her. No pain, only a
weakness in every joint. Alarmed at the long
absence of their mother, two of the oldest girls

"MORMONDOM." 65

hurried back, and found her seated by the road- ■
side unable to proceed another step. They assisted
her to rise, and half carried her up the hill to
the tents. She whispered to them to put her in
bed in the cart where she always slept. They did
so. But she grew weaker and weaker. She would
faint entirely away, then slowly come back, and
wonder feebly what was the matter, and why they
all stood around so. Then faint away again, and
so on all night. At last Jane remembered her
mother had a little consecrated oil packed away,
and she searched among the boxes till she found
it. They administered to her then, and she re-
vived some. But begged to be taken away from
that place.

Her husband felt she might die if he did not
comply with her wish, so they started immediately
for Yass river. They were traveling along, when
Mary's horse gave out. She was obliged then to
wait for her husband to return, and get her.
She felt much better, and thought she could get
out and walk about a little. So she directed the
young man who drove her cart to let down thfe
shafts. She got out, but the moment she went to
rest her feet on the ground, she fell to the earth.
The young man assisted her into the cart again,
and then for three months she never stood upon
her feet. There was no pain whatever, only an
extreme weakness.

While camping on the Yass river the next even-
ing, Mary had a dream which when related sounds

M HEROINES OF

like the history of her life for the following twenty
years; so true is it in every particular.

She dreamed that she saw herself and her fam-
il} T , traveling, struggling and trying to get a start
again. Everything seemed to go % against her hus-
band. Sickness came, and she saw herself the
only one able to be out of bed. Deadly sickness
too, but she was promised that there should be no
death. Things seemed to grow blacker and blacker.
At last, starvation approached and she saw them
all without a morsel of food to eat; everything
sold for food, even their clothes. Then when the
last remnant of property had been taken from
them, the tide turned. She was told they should
at last go to Goulburn, where they would break
land, and prosperity should once more visit them,
and that they should finally reach Zion. The
dream was terrible in its realit}\ She awoke trem-
bling and sobbing, and awaking her husband she
told him she had been having a fearful dream.

"I would rather," she added, "have my head
severed from my body this minute, than go through
what I have dreamed this night."

"Well, wife," answered William, "let us hope it
is nothing but a dream."

She related it to him, but he felt too confident
in his own strength to believe such a dream as
that. It gradually faded from Mary's mind as
such things will do, but now and then some cir-
cumstance would recall it to her mind with all the
vividness of reality.

"MORMOXDOM."

While camping on the Yass, a stranger came to
William and asked him for his daughter Maria,
who was then only fourteen years old. William
replied that Maria was nothing but a child, and
he was an utter stranger, so he could not for a
moment think of consenting. Three nights after
this, the man stole the girl away, and when morning
came and the father discoverd the loss, he was almost
frantic with grief. He was a most devoted and
affectionate father, and he was fairly beside him-
self with his daughter's disappearance. He spent
money like water. Advertised, went from place to
place, searched and hired others to search with
him, for the missing girl. It was of no use. She
was never found.

While searching for her four of his horses wan-
dered away, and only one ever returned. Then,
finally giving up in despair, he hired horses and
went to Yass city. Arriving there William ob-
tained work for a man named Gallager, at putting
up a barn.

They had been settled but a short time when the
baby was prostrated with colonial fever. Mary
did all she could, but the child grew worse. Four
months went by and still there was no improve-
ment. At last Mary persuaded her husband to get
a doctor. The doctor came and told the mother
there was one chance in a hundred of the baby's
life. No signs of life seemed left in the little body,
but he ordered her to put a strong mustard poul-
tice over the stomach. "If it raises a blister,"
said he, "she will live. If not, she is dead."

GR HEROINES OF

Into Mary's mind there suddenly flashed her
dream. "Sickness, but no death." Well, then, her
baby should live.

A short time after the doctor's departure, Mrs.
Gallager, a neighbor, came into the tent, and said,
"Mrs. Chittenden, let me hold the child."

"No, Mrs. Gallager, thank } t ou, I would rather
hold her."

The woman bustled about and got a tea-kettle of
water upon the stove.

"What are you doing," asked Mary.

"Getting a bit of hot water. The child is dead,
so we will want some water hot."

"She will not die, Mrs. Gallager. She is going
to live."

"Why, woman, she is dead now! Her finger
nails are black !"

"No, she is not dead," persisted the mother.
Who knows the great power and faith of a
mother?

Within a few hours the child's breathing became
audible. Her recovery was very slow. And while
she still lay weak and ill, William was stricken
down by the same complaint. He grew rapidly
worse. He too lay ill for several months. He was
in a very critical condition, but whenever able to
speak he would tell Mary not to bring a doctor,
for he should recover without one. The turn for
the better came at last, and as soon as he was able
to get about a little, they determined to go to
Lemon Flat. Their first idea in going to Lemon
Flat had been to homestead, or "free select" land,

"MORMONDOM." 69

as it is called in Australia. However, they were
far too poor now to do this, so William got odd
jobs to do. He scraped all he could together, and
bought a horse for fifteen pounds. But shortly
afterwards, he heard of one of his lost animals
about eighteen miles up the country, so he made
a trip up to find the animal. Arriving at the place,
he heard that a Chinaman had just gone to an-
other camp, on the horse. That night he tethered
his horse out, and next morning at daybreak went
out as usual for him, and behold, he, too, had dis-
appeared, not leaving a track of a hoof to guide
anyone in a search for him. So William was at
last" obliged to trudge wearily home, eighteen
miles, carrying his saddle on his back.

And thus one year dragged heavily by. While
here Jane was married to John Carter, and Ellen
to a Grecian man named Nicolas Carco. Also, just
as they were leaving Lemon Flat, Eliza married
a Mr. Griffin.

Now they determined to go once more to Gun-
deroo to try what could be done there. The reason
w r hy William wished to go to Gunderoo was, that
no matter what came or went, wages could be
made by a man in "sluicing gold." Now the fam-
ily were almost destitute. After their arrival in
Lemon, and for months, most of the children lay
sick with the colonial fever.

70 HEROINES OF

CHAPTER V.

Between three or four years had passed since they
left Camden (over eight years since the last mis-
sionary left Australia), and the Chittendens were
much poorer than they were when they left.

For many years Mary had been in the habit of
going about to her neighbors, nursing them during
confinement. This was a necessity of the country,
one woman going to another, as there were no
regular nurses to be had. She became acquainted
in her labors with a Doctor Haley, the best physi-
cian in Goulburn. He always, after the first time
when she nursed under him, sent for her. This
practice put many an odd pound into her pocket.
Her husband was far from idle, however. With
his disposition he could never be so. He took
charge of the estate of a gentleman named Massy,
who was absent in Ireland for eighteen months
on business.

As soon as he was released from this situation,
where he had earned some money and a good por-
tion of grain, he rented a farm. With anxious
hope and honest labor he seeded down twenty
acres with the grain he had on hand.

He who sendeth the rains, withholdeth them at
His pleasure! For two years there was a complete

"mormondom:

drouth visited the country. William walked over
his field and could not, at the end of the season,
pluck one single armful of grain.

While living in this place the promised son was
born to Mary, and once again her prophetic dream
was realized. He was born May 28, 1SG5, and
William named him Hyrum. When the baby was
two years old, little Alice came home from school,
and said she felt very sick. As long as there was
a second penny in the house, no matter where they
were, or what their circumstances, these good pa-
rents had kept their children at school. Without
education themselves, no effort was spared to give
their children the great blessing they had so
jnissed.

Alice came home, quite sick at her stomach, and
her mother felt alarmed at once, for her children
were regularly and simply fed, and when anything
of the kind happened to them she knew it was of
an uncommon and serious nature.

Jane had returned to her mother's house, while
her husband was up the country on a mining ex-
pedition. She had a young baby eleven months
old.

When the doctor came next day he pronounced
Alice's case one of the most violent scarlet fever.
Next day Jane and Rachel came down, and the
next day Louisa and Caroline fell ill with the
dreadful disease. Jane had the fever so violently
that Mary w r as obliged to wean the baby. Every-
one in the family was now ill but herself, and she
with a baby two weeks old. For eleven long weeks

72 HEROINES OF

the anxious mother never had her clothes off, but
to change them.X The disease was of such a violent
type that not one human being had courage or had
humanity enough to enter the door. Alone and
utterly unaided she went from one bedside to
another administering food and medicine. The
physician was the only one who ever visited her,
and at the times when he came (twice a day) to
attend to them, she would sit down long enough to
take up her infant and give it the breast.

Three months of sickness, toil and suffering, then
the fever spent itself, and Mary could begin to
realize their condition financially. Something
must be done, for funds were very, very low.

There was a sudden excitement about this time
at a place called Mack's Reef, which was three
miles from Gunderoo. Gold was found in quartz,
and was very rich indeed, at this new camp, Wil-
liam decided to go. So investing their last cent
to purchase a simple crushing-mill, and to take
themselves out, the Chittendens went to Mack's
Reef.

Misfortune was too well acquainted with them
now to be driven away, so she curled herself up in*
the crushing-mill, and behold it failed to do its
work. It lost both the gold and the quick-
silver.

Matters were now getting desperate. Food was
wanted. Strain and economize as she might, Mary
could not make things hold out much longer. The
pennies followed the shillings, until when the last
half-penny had to be taken for Hour, William

"MORMONDOM" 73

looked at Mary and said, "Mary, what are we com-
ing to? Must our children starve?"

"Xo, William, please God! But do you remem-
ber my dream? You may not believe it, but I
know it was a true dream. Oh, William, why did
we not go to Zion when we were told? Surely our
sufferings could not be more than they are here.
Here, take these clothes, they are things that I can
spare ; you will have to sell them for bread."

And so it went. Garment followed garment,
and yet there seemed no chance of earning a
penny. Finally, there were no more clothes; every-
thing was sold.

Then William took his gun, and went to the
woods. But after a very short time that, too, failed
and they were starving.

That night, when the little children were put
hungry to bed, William walked the floor in the agony
of his mind. "My God !" groaned the wretched man,
"must my children starve before my very eyes?
In my pride I fancied my family would be better
in my hands than in the hands of their Almighty
Father! Oh, that I had listend to counsel!"
Now my family are fast leaving my roof, and we
that are left are starving. Starving in a land of
plenty!"

God listened to the prayers of His humbled son,
and he was enabled to get a little something to
eat. But the lesson was not over yet.

Mary had obtained a situation as nurse and this
helped them. William thought he would go up
to Goulburn, a large inland town, where he felt

3+

74 HEROINES OF

sure he would find some employment. Accord-
ingly he left the family with Mary, but of course
in very wretched circumstances. It was the best
that he could do, so Mary was satisfied to be left.

The trip to Goulburn was made in the old spring
cart, which had been left. of the wreck of their
comfortable traveling outfit. The horse, which
William had just found previous to starting, was
one of the four he had lost on the Yass river.
The poor thing had been so abused that it was
almost worthless. In fact, it had no money value,
for in that country where good stock was com-
paratively cheap he had tried again and again
before leaving Mack's Reef to sell the horse and the
cart, or either alone, in order to get flour for his
starving family, but no purchaser could be found.

So he went up to Goulburn and took odd jobs as
he could get them. When he had been gone some
few months, a company of prospecters brought in
a new machine to crush the quartz. This fanned
the dead embers of hope in every one's breast,
and even Mary thought if she could get William
to come down and try his quartz in this new mill,
they would succeed at last.

But how to get word to him? He was at
Goulburn, eighteen miles away. There was no
mail, and she had not a vestige of anything to
pay for sending word to him. She was very weak
too from lack of food. But every one around her
was so confident of the grand success about to be
made, that she resolved to try to walk up to
Goulburn. Accordingly, she set out leaving the

"mormoxdom:

baby at home with the girls, and walked feebly
towards Goulburn. She was about half-way there
when she came to a river. This was forded by
teams, but across it had been thrown a plank, and
a poor one it was, too. Mary looked at the foaming
water, and then at the rotten plank, and felt it
would be an impossibility almost to go across.
Still, she must get over, so she started; but she had
only got a little way out before her head began to
reel, she was weak and faint, and about to fall,
when she had sense remaining to lay flat down on
the plank, and wait for strength. As she prayed
for strength and help she heard a horse's hoofs
behind her, and a gentleman on horseback dashed
into the stream. He rode up to her and said,

"Madam, permit me to help you. Let me take
your hand and I will ride close by the board, and
thus get you across all right."

"Oh sir, you are very kind," answered Mary as she
arose thanking God that He had heard her prayer.

"Where are you going, madam? Pardon me,
I do not ask from idle curiosity."

"To Goulburn, sir to my busband."

"I was wondering as I came along, to see a
woman on this lonely road. You surely do not
expect to reach Goulburn to-night?"

"I thought sir, I would go as far as I could, then
lie down and rest until I could go further."

"Well my poor woman, good-by! and success
attend you on your journey."

"Many thanks, kind sir, may God reward your
kind act." And so he rode on.

HEROINES OF

Mary went on some distance, and began to feel
that she could go no farther. Suddenly she saw a
woman approaching her. Wondering, the two
women at last met, and the stranger said to Mary,

"Are you the woman a gentleman on horseback
assisted across the river?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Then you are to come with me. He has paid
us for your supper and lodging to-night. Also, he
paid me to come out and meet you and show you
the way."

"Thank God! I am almost worn out. What
was the gentleman's name, please?"

"That I can't tell. But here's our house. Come,
get your supper, it is waiting."

And thus was her humble prayer answered, and
a friend raised up to her in her sore need.

The next day Mary reached Goulburn, and she
and her husband returned the following day in
the cart, to Mack's Reef. But after reaching the
Reef, William found it would require quite a sum
of money to do anything with his quartz, so at
last abandoning everything, he left the Reef in
disgust. The poor old horse died shortly after
that, and thus they only had the cart remaining.
The harvest time was approaching, and William
had the rent to pay on the farm he had taken, and '
which had failed so dismally. So he went to the
owner and offered to harvest out the amount. The
offer was accepted, and he went harvesting the
remainder of the season.

"mormondom:

Meantime, Mary had been sent for, to nurse a
lady who lived a few miles out from Gunderoo.
So, not liking to lose so good an opportunity of
making a bit of money, she weaned her ten month's
old baby, and left him at home with the girls.
She was engaged for a month, receiving a pound
a week, about twenty dollars a month, for her
services.

When she returned, she found her husband at
home. You know, William, I told you my dream
would surely be fulfilled. Are you not willing to
admit that so far it has come true every word?"

"Well yes, Mary, but what then?"

"Then, in my dream we were to lose everything
before the turn would come, and we should com-
mence to prosper. We've nothing left now but
the spring cart. Give that, as it is too poor to sell,
to Isaac Norris. Then let us go to Goulburn, and
once more try farming. You know we must break
land there."

"Thou art like a woman. If we part with the
cart, how, pray, shall we get to Goulburn." "Why,
William, have I not brought home four pounds?
That will move us to Goulburn. Come husband,
let us get away from here." At length William
consented; the spring cart was given to their
son-in-law, Isaac Norris, and the whole family
moved up to Goulburn. Their daughter Alice
was soon after married to a Mr. Larkum, and had
one child named Lavinia by him. The girl was
treated very badly, and at last gave the child to
her mother to raise. Mary has never since been

78 I1ER0WES OF

separated from this child, but has reared her as
her own. Four or five years passed away, 'Wil-
liam farming and Mary nursing at times. William
did the farming for a widow lady named Day,
who kept a lodging-house about four miles out
from Goulburn. She was a very fine, active, kind-
hearted woman, and for the next ten years, was
a true friend to the Chittendens. In fact, the
best friend they ever had in Australia. Mary
used often to go up to her house, when not out
nursing, for a week at a time to assist the widow
with her work. Goulburn is a very large, hand-
some, inland town in Australia, situated in the
midst of a rich farming district. On one side of
the town, away to the left, was a large hill, covered
with fine timber. The Chittendens had rented a
small house about four miles out from Goulburn.

About five years after their coming to Goulburn,
Mary had another dream. A personage came to
her and began talking to her of her affairs. This
personage said to her among other things:

"You shall take a farm, on the opposite side of
the road to where you now live. And, after, you
shall prosper exceedingly. Then you shall take
money, constantly, from this side of the road, and
you shall be blessed, insomuch that you shall
soon go to Zion thereafter." When she awoke,
she told the dream to her husband. Shortly after
this a rumor reached them that a certain man
named Grimson was about to give up his farm,
which he rented from a gentleman named Gibson.
This surely must be the place of her dream, for

"MORMONDOM"

was it not across the road from them? And so
she talked to her husband about the matter. But
he had no sympathy nor hope to give her on the
subject.

"Mary how can you think of such a tiling?
What could I do with a farm? I haven't a tool nor
an animal to use. It is impossible. So don't talk
of it."

But Mary was far from satisfied. However, she
knew her husband too well to urge the matter,
when he spoke as he had done. And further, in
a very short time after the farm was vacated, it
was re-let to another person. Mary was thus forced
to give it up. A month or so slipped by, and one
night Mary dreamed the same dream, in relation
to the farm across the road. She thought, however,
she would not mention it to her husband. In a
week or so, they again heard the farm was to let, as
the family was dissatisfied. Then Mary made
bold to tell her husband of the repetition of the
dream, and beg him to try and take it.

"Why do you keep urging me about that farm,
Mary? I have not one thing to do with. I tell
you it is impossible."

And again disappointed, Mary thought she
would say no more about the matter. That day
she was going up to spend a week at Mrs. Day's
assisting her in her housework and cleaning.
After she arrived there, she prepared breakfast, and
she and Mrs. Day sat down to eat. As they were
talking, Mrs. Day said, "Why doesn't Mr. Chit-
tenden take that farm of Gibson's? I hear it is

80 HEROINES Of

again vacant. He is a good farmer, and could
easily attend to that as well as look after mine."

"He would like to do so, no doubt, buthe thinks
he could not on account of having nothing to do
with, no teams nor machines, nor in fact any-
thing."

"Well, if that's where the trouble lies, I'll tell
you what I'll do. He shall have the use of my horses
and plows and all the farm machines for nothing,
and I will furnish him seed grain for the first year,
and he can let me have it back after he gets a
start"

"Oh Mrs. Day, you are too good to us."

"Not a bit of it. I would do more than that to
keep you in the country. You know that I could
not possibly live without your help," replied the
lady, laughingly.

Mary could hardly contain herself for joy. And
when night came, she begged to be allowed to go
home that night, as she could not wait a whole
week before telling her husband the good news.

Accordingly she hurried home that night and
told her husband what Mrs. Day had said.

"Mary," said William, "if Mrs. Day tells me the
same as she tells you, I'll take Gibson's farm."

So early the next morning they started on their
errand. The farm house opposite them was vacant,
and as they passed Mary asked herself, trembling-
ly, if they should be sufficiently blessed to live
there. Mrs. Day greeted them very kindly and
told them they were just in time for breakfast.

"MORMOXDOM." SI

"Thank you, Mrs. Day; but Mary has been tell-
ing me you spoke to her about our taking Gibson's
farm."

"So I did, Chittenden; and I tell you if you'll
take the farm, keeping mine too, mind, you shall
have the use of my team, wagon and farm imple-
ments. Besides, I will lend you your seed grain
for the first year, and you can return it after-
wards."

"Well, Mrs. Day, if you are so kind as that, all
I can do is to thank you and accept the offer. I
will go right on to Mr. Gibson at once and make
the bargain."

Mr. Gibson was quite pleased to have William
take the farm. That same week the family moved
across the road, and Mary felt like a new woman.

During all these fifteen years you may be sure
Mary and William had often talked of the religion
that was so dear to both. Their daughters, al-
though they had, perforce, married those outside
the Church, were staunch "Mormons," and are to
this day.

One day William met Mr. Gibson who said,
T have been thinking, William, you can open a
gate on the other side of the road, opposite your
own door, and make a bit of a road to the woods,
and you can take toll from the gate. You know
you live on the public turnpike from Goulburn,
and this toll road would be a good thing to the
Goulburn people."

"How much could you allow me, sir?"

82 HEROINES OF

"Five shillings from every pound. Then your
children could attend the gate."

Very well, I will do so, and am very grateful to
you for the privilege."

"Well, mother," said William soon after, as he
entered the house, "your money is coming from the
other side of the road."

And when he had laughingly told her how, she
said she felt more like crying than laughing, she
was so grateful to God.

CHAPTER VI.

The story of prosperity is so much easier to tell,
and in truth is so much shorter than the tale of
adversity and suffering, that we may well hasten
over the remaining five years of their waiting in
that far-distant land.

Everything prospered. But about the seconc
year William's health commenced to break dowi
Gradually he became more and more incapable 01
work, until at last, one day, he came in and
throwing himself down, he exclaimed, "Mary, I
have done my last day's work." It was even so.
But God did not fail them.

In 1875, two men came up to the door, and asked
for food and shelter. When they announced them-
selves as Elders from Utah, Mary's hands were out-

"MORMONDOM." S3

stretched and her heart filled with great joy, even
as her eyes ran over with happy tears.

The Elders were Jacob Miller of Fannington, and
David Cluff of Provo, since dead. A month or
two afterwards, Elder Charles Burton and John
M. Young of Salt Lake City, also were warmly wel-
comed at the farm.

William's illness was Bright's disease of the kid-
neys, and he was slowly dying.

They left Sydney on the 7th of April, 1877, for
Utah, six souls in all, William and Mary,
their children Caroline, Louise and Hyrum, with
the one grandchild, Lavinia.

On their arrival they went at once to Provo.
William had much more to bear of poverty and
suffering, than any one could have dreamed, even
after their arrival here. Mary went out washing
to eke out their store, (they had barely ten dollars
left,) and the two girls got positions in the factory.

Within a year, Caroline married Eleazer Jones,
and Louisa married Abraham Wild. The last
named couple live near their mother now.

Caroline has moved with her husband to Ari-
zona. Mary's eldest daughter, Mary Ann May-
berry, also came with her husband and family to
Utah in 1879.

I would not linger if I could on the severe suffer-
ing, and painful death of William, just twelve
month from the day they left home.

When the sad day came on which he left them
all, in spite of his awful agony, he called his only
boy Hyrum, who was then thirteen years old, and

84 HEROINES OF

stretching out the thin, wasted hands he blessed
him fervently, and said, "You are going to be a
good boy to your mother, I think?"

"Yes, father, I will," answered the lad, manfully.

"My boy, I can do nothing, no work in the
Temple for her, nor for myself; I have got to go."

"If you have got to go, father," tremblingly said
the boy, "I will do all that lies in my power."

"Remember mother, Hyrum, she has been good
to us, and worked hard for us all her days." Then
again he blessed him, and soon the peaceful end
came, and the poor aching frame was at rest.

A year or two of hard, constant work at the
wash tub passed away, and one night the personage
who had visited Mary before came to her in a
dream and said:

"Mary, the time has now come for you to go
and do the work for yourself and your husband.
If you will go, you shall soon have a home after-
wards."

Here was a command and a promise. Hyrum
had shot up and was a tall, quiet-mannered young
man, and had gone out on a surveying expedition,
carrying chains for the men, to earn some money.
His great ambition was to get a home for his
mother.

On his return from the surveying expedition he
put nearly 8100.00 into his mother's hands. A
day or two after he said, "Mother I would like to go
down to St. George and do father's work; you know I
promised him to do it as soon as I could, and this
is the first money I have ever had. I am sixteen

"MORMOXDOM." 85

years old, and if the Bishop thinks I am worthy,
I would like to go."

Mary quickly told her dream, which she had
hesitated mentioning, fearing he would not like it,
but he believed it

"Mother, I will go this very night," he said when
she had concluded her story, "and see what the
Bishop says."

So down he went, and Bishop Booth very willingly
told him to go, and he felt pleased to give
the necessary recommends.

They went and had a most glorious time, and on
her return Mary went to washing again. But
mark! In less than one year from that time
they had bargained for a place, and got two little
rooms built upon it.

If you come to Provo, go and see dear old Sister
Chittenden; she is sixty-six years old, and quite a
hearty, happy little woman yet.

She meditatively pushes aside her neat, black
lace cap from her ear, with her finger, as I ask
what to say to you in farewell, and with mild but
tearful eyes, says:

Tell them for me, always to be obedient to the
counsel of those who are over them; and obey the
whisperings of God, trusting to Him for the result!
And then, God bless them all! Amen."

P6 HEROINES OF

A HEROINE OF HAUN'S MILL
MASSACRE.

The name of Sister Amanda, or Mrs. Warren
Smith, is well known to the Latter-day Saints.
She has had a most eventful life, and the terrible
tragedy of Harm's Mill, in Caldwell county, when
her husband and son were killed, and another son
wounded, have made her name familiar to all who
have read the history of the mobbings and driv-
ings in the State of Missouri. Mrs. Smith was
born in Becket, Birkshire Co., Mass., Feb. 22, 1S09. .
Her parents were Ezekiel and Fanny Barnes; she
was one of a family of ten children. Her grand-
father, on her mother's side, James Johnson, came
from Scotland in an early day, and in the revolu-
tionary war held the office of general; he was a
great and brave man. Sister Smith says
that her father left Massachusetts when she was
quite young and went up to Ohio, and settled in
Amherst, Lorain county, where the family endured
all the privations and hardships incident to a new
country. The following is her own narrative:

"At eighteen years of age I was married to
Warren Smith; we had plenty of this world's
goods and lived comfortable and happily together,
nothing of particular interest transpiring until
Sidney Pdgdon and Orson Hyde came to our neigh-

'MORMONDOMr

borhood preaching Campbellism. I was converted
and baptized by Sidney Bigdon ; my husband did
not like it, yet gave his permission. I was at that
time the mother of two children. Soon after my
conversion to the Campbellite faith, _Sime onJD.
Carter_came preaching the everlasting gospel, ancT
on~the~lst day of April, 1831, he baptized me into
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
of which I have ever since been a member. My
husband was baptized shortly after and we were
united in our faith.

"We sold out our property in Amherst and'went
to Kirtland, and bought a place west of the Temple,
on the Chagrin river, where we enjoyed ourselves
in the society of the Saints, but after the failure of
the Kirtland bank and oth^r troubles in that place,
in consequence of our enemies, we lost all our prop-
erty except enough to fit up teams, etc., to take
us to Missouri. /^Ve started in the Spring of 1838,
and bade farewell to the land of our fathers and
our home to go and dwell with the Saints in what
then seemed a far-off place.

"There were several families of us and we trav-
eled on without much difficulty until we came to
Caldwell county, Missouri. One day as we were
going on as usual, minding our own business, we
were stopped by a mob of armed men, who told us
if we went another step they would kill us all. They
commenced plundering, taking our guns from our
wagons, which we had brought, as we were going
into a new country, and after thus robbing us took
us back five miles, placed a guard around us, and

88 HEROINES OF

kept us there in that way three days, and then let
us go. We journeyed on ten miles further, though
our hearts were heavy and we knew not what
might happen next. Then we arrived at a little
town of about eight or ten houses, a grist and saw
mill belonging to the Saints. We stopped thereto
camp for the night. A little before sunset a mob
of three hundred armed men came upon us. Our
brethren halloed for the women and children to
run for the woods, while they (the men) ran into
an old blacksmith shop.

"They feared, if men, women and children were
in one place, the mob would rush upon them and
kill them all together. The mob fired before the
women had time to start from the camp. The men
took off their hats and swung them and cried lor
quarter, until they were shot down; the mob paid
no attention to their entreaties, but fired alter-
nately. I took my little girls (my boys I could not
find) and ran for the woods. The mob encircled
us on all sides, excepting the bank of the creek, so
I ran down the bank and crossed the mill pond on
a plank, ran up the hill on the other side into the
bushes; and the bullets whistled by me like hail-
stones, and cut down the bushes on all sides of me.
One girl was wounded by my side, and she fell
over a log; her clothes happened to hang over
the log in sight of the mob, and they fired at
them, supposing that it was her body, and after all
was still our people cut out of that log twenty bullets.

"When the mob had done firing they began to
howl, and one would have thought a horde of

"MORMONDOM." S9

demons had escaped from the lower regions.
They plundered our goods, what we had left, they
took possession of our horse s and wagons, and
drove away, howling like so many demons. After
they had gone I came down to behold the awful
scene of slaughter, and, oh! what a horrible sight!
My husband and one of my sons,_ten years old ,
lay lifeless upon the ground, and another son^ six
years old^ woun^dj^dMbleed_ing, his hip all shot to
pieces; and the ground all aroun
fHe dead and_dying. Three little boys had crept
under the blacksmith' s bellows; one of th em re-
ceived three wounds; he lived three weeks, s uffer-
ing all the time incessantly , and at las LxLied. He
was not mine, the other two were mine. One of
whom had his brains all shot out, the other his hip
shot to pieces." This last was Alma Smith, who
lives at Coalville, and who still carries the bullets
of the mob in his body, but was healed by the
power of God through the careful nursing and
earnest faith of his mother. "My husband was
nearly stripped of his clothes before he was quite
dead; he had on a new pair of calf-skin boots, and
they were taken off him by one whom they desig-
nated as Bill Mann, who afterward made his brags
that he 'pulled a d — d Mormon's boots off his feet
while he was kicking.' It was at sunset when the
mob left and we crawled back to see and compre-
hend the extent of our misery. The very dogs
seemed filled with rage, howling over their dead
masters, and the cattle caught the scent of inno-
cent blood, and bellowed, A dozen helpless widows

90 HEROINES OF

grieving for the loss of their husbands, and thirty
or forty orphaned or fatherless children were
screaming and crying for their fathers, who lay
cold and insensible around them. The groans of
the wounded and dying rent the air. All this
combined was enough to melt the heart of any-
thing but a Missouri mobocrat. There were fifteen
killed and ten wounded, two of whom died the
next day."

"As I returned from the woods, where I had fled
for safety, to the scene of slaughter, I found the
sister who started with me lying in a pool of blood.
She had fainted, but was only shot through the
hand. Further on was Father McBride, an aged,
white-haired revolutionary soldier; his murderer
had literally cut him to pieces with an old corn-
cutter. His hands had been split down when he
raised them in supplication for mercj r . Then one
of the mob cleft open his head with the same
weapon, and the veteran who had fought for the
freedom of his country in the glorious days of the
past, was numbered with the martyrs.. My eldest
son, Willard, took my wounded boy upon his back
and bore him to our tent. The entire hip bone,
joint and all were shot away. We laid little Alma
upon our bed and examined the wound. I was
among the dead and dying; I knew not what to
do. I was there all that long dreadful night with
my dead and my wounded, and none but God as
physician and help. I knew not but at any mo-
ment the mob might return to complete their
dreadful work. In the extremity of my agony I

"MORMONDOM." 91

cried unto the Lord, '0, Thou who hearest the
prayers of the widow and fatherless, what shall I
do? Thou knowest my inexperience, Thou seest
my poor, wounded boy, what shall I do? Heavenly
Father, direct me!' And I was directed as if by
a voice speaking to me. Our fire was smouldering;
we ha^vbeen burning the shaggy bark of hickory
logs. T?he voice told me to take those ashes and
make a solution, then saturate a cloth with it and
put it right into the wound. It was painful, but
my little boy was too near dead to heed the pain
much. Again and again I saturated the cloth and
put it into the hole from w T hich the hip joint had
b< en plowed out, and each time mashed flesh and
splinters of bone came away with the cloth, and
the wound became white and clean. I had obeyed
the voice that directed me, and having done this,
prayed again to the Lord to be instructed further;
and was answered as distinctly as though a physi-
cian had been standing by speaking to me. A slip-
pery elm tree was near by, and I was told to make
a poultice of the roots of the slippery elm and fill
the wound w T ith it. My boy Willard procured the.
slippery elm from the roots of the tree; I made the
poultice and applied it. The wound was so large
it took, a quarter of a yard of linen to cover it.
After I had properly dressed the wound, I found
vent to my feelings in tears for the first time, and
resigned myself to the anguish of the hour. All
through the night I heard the groans of the. suf-
ferers, and once in the dark we groped our way
over the heap of dead in the blacksmith shop, to

02 HEROINES OF

try to soothe the wants of those who had been
mortally wounded, and who lay so helpless among
the slain.

"Next morning Brother Joseph Young came
to the scene of bloodshed and massacre. 'What
shall be done with the dead?' he asked. There
was no time to bury them, the mob was coming
on us; there were no men left to dig the graves,
'Do anything, Brother Joseph/ I said, 'except to
leave their bodies to the fiends who have killed
them.' Close by was a deep, dry well. Into this
the bodies were hurried, sixteen or seventeen in
number. No burial service, no customary rites-
could be performed. All were thrown into
the well except my murdered boy, Sardius. When
Brother Young was assisting to carry him on a
board to the well, he laid down the corpse and
declared he could not throw that boy into the hor-
rible, dark, cold grave. He could not perform
the last office for one so young and inter-
esting, who had been so foully murdered, and so
my martyred son was left unburied. 'Oh, they
have left my Sardius unburied in the sun/ I cried,
and ran and covered his body with a sheet. He
lay there until the next day, and then I, his own
mother, horrible to relate, assisted by his elder
brother, Willard, went back and threw him intc
this rude vault with the others, and covered them
as well as we could with straw and earth.

"After disposing of the dead the best that we
could, we commended their bodies to God and felt
that He would take care of them, and of those

"MORMONDOM." 93

whose lives were spared. I had plenty to do to take
care of my little orphaned children, and could not
stop to think or dwell upon the awful occurrence.
My poor, wounded boy demanded constant care,
and for three months I never left him night or day.
The next day the mob came back and told us we
must leave the State, or they would kill us all. It
was cold weather; they had taken away our horses
and robbed us of our clothing; the men who had
survived the massacre were wounded; our people
in other parts of the State were passing through
similar persecutions, and we knew not what to
do.

**I told them they might kill rne and my chil-
dren in welcome. They sent \,V> us messages from
time to time, that if we did not leave the State
they would come and make a breakfast of us. We
sisters used to have little prayer meetings, and we
had mighty faith ; the power of God was mani-
fested in the healing of the sick and wounded.
The mob told us we must stop these meetings, if
we did not they would kill every man, woman and
child. We were quiet and did not trouble anyone.
We got our own wood, we did our own milling,
but in spite of all our efforts to be .at peace, they
would not allow us to remain in the State of Mis-
souri. ' I arranged everything, fixed up my poor,
wounded boy, and on the first day of February
started, without any money , on my journey towards
the State of Illinois; I dr ove my ow n team and
slept out of doors. I had jou r small c hildren, and
we suffered much from cold, hunger and fatigue.

94 HEROINES OF

"I once asked one of the mob what they intended
when they came upon our camp; he answered they
intended to 'kill everything that breathed/ _J Jell,
the loss of my husband greatly, but rejoiced that
he died a martyr to the cause of truth. He went
full of faith and in hope of a glorious resurrection.
As for myself J had unshaken confidence in God
through it all.

"In the year 1839 I married again, to a man
bearing' the same name as my deceased husband
(Warre.* Smith), though they were not in the least
related. He wa^> * J -o a blacksmith and our cir-
cumstances were { .-.».] ^rous. By this marriage I
had three children. Amandu Malvina, who died in
Nauvoo; also Warren Barnes and Sarah Marinda,
who are still living, the former at American Fork
and is counselor to the Bishop, the latter at Hyde
Park.

"I enjoyed the privilege of seeing the Temple
finished, and of receiving therein the blessing of
holy ordinances. Willard, my first-born son, also
had his endowments in that Temple, and came out
among the first who left there; was one of the
Mormon Battalion, who were called to go to Mexico
1 while we were en route to find a resting place for
the Saints. Willard is now, and has been for
several years past, President of Morgan Stake."

During the time they lived in Xauvoo, President
Joseph organized a Relief Society. Sister Smith
became a member of its first organization and
greatly rejoiced in the benevolent work; much
good was accomplished by it.

"MORMONDOM." 95

In July, 1847, they started from Nauvoo intending
to go with the Saints to the Rocky Mountains, but
for the want of sufficient means for so long a jour-
ney they were compelled to stop in Iowa. They re-
mained until the year 1850, when they took up their
line of march for Salt Lake City, arriving on the
18th of September, safe and well. Shortly after
arriving in this city, her husband, who had
been for some time dilatory in his duties, aposta-
tized from the faith, and they separated. She took,
the children with her and provided i'u-j herself.

On the 24th of January, 1854, a number of la-
dies met together t<> consider trie importance of
organizing a soci>\- for th?. repose of making
clothes for the Indians and other dvr^Hble work,
which was properly organized Feb. ,9th. Sister
Smith was one of the officers of the society, which
resulted in much temporal good being accom-
plished.

z 'In consequence of the many hardships she en-
dured through the persecutions in Missouri which
were heaped upon her and her family by a relent-
less mob, her health was undermined, and as years
increased, infirmities settled upon her which ren-
dered her unable to retain the position she had
held in the Relief Society. She was honorably
released and will ever be remembered by the
Bishop and his counselors and the members of the
Ward for her benevolence and self-denial in min-
istering to the unfortunate.

Sister Smith has much to rejoice over even in
her present affliction, for she has raised her family

% HEROINES OF "MORMONDOM."

in the principles of the gospel of Christ and the
fear of God, and they remain true and steadfast to
the faith of the latter-day work. A good woman,
who has reared to manhood and womanhood a
large family almost without a father's help, is cer-
tainly worthy of commendation and must have
great satisfaction in her life and labor. She has
been for more than fifty years a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

There are very few now living who have a record
of more than 'uaif a century in the Church. Sister
Smith has ci,- denied herself to a very large number
of the Latter-day Saints, who <*re ever ready to do
her honor fr-r her faith, intern 'Ay and the many
estimable qualities which have beautified and
adorned her life.

Her testimony of the massacre at Haun's mill,
in Missouri, is that of an eye witness and partici-
pator. Indeed she might with all propriety be
termed the heroine of that fearful tragedy, for her
sublimity of courage surpassed that of ordinary
mortals. God was with her in His power in her
hour of severe trouble and she was indeed a host
in herself. In conclusion we would say, may
heaven's choicest blessings rest upon her the re-
mainder of her days here upon the earth, and her
heart be filled with joy and peace continually and
may she continue to bear a faithful testimony to the
truth, and live until she has accomplished all
she has ever anticipated for the living and the
dead. E. B. W.

Date Due

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